Year in review: Echuca does the double

The A-grade side headed into the clash against Euroa as the underdogs despite winning 11 of the past 12 games leading into the grand final, with the Magpies the only scalp they had failed to claim all season.

The match started tensely, with mistakes littering the opening few minutes as each side settled into their rhythm before Mia Sudomirski opened the scoring for Euroa.

Echuca coach Belinda Lees opened the account for her side as the two foes went toe-to-toe for the rest of the quarter.

Euroa’s patient build-up and delivery to Sudomirski, who netted all eight of the Magpies’ first-quarter goals, gave it the slenderest of leads at the first break.

A tense opening stanza in the second saw each side turn the ball over multiple times before Euroa made its first real move, putting five consecutive goals on the board to open up a margin of the same value.

Sheridan Townrow inserted herself into the game, clunking some big rebounds and combining well with Lees inside the semi-circle to trim the margin back to two at the half.

Euroa’s ability to score quickly was on show again as the second half started.

Sarah Ternes was beginning to make more of an impact on the scoreboard and Sudomirski continued her brilliance as Eliza Hoare and Sophie Owen looked well on top in the midcourt.

The Echuca players looked tired and as the lead reached a game-high six goals, it was hard to imagine a way back for the Murray Bombers.

But the experienced heads rose to the occasion for Echuca, with Stephanie Vick swapped back to centre, giving her side a huge boost.

The pressure and intensity stepped up yet again, with Ash Mangan getting on top in her defensive duel, winning the ball back for Echuca multiple times, as Echuca’s formidable shooting duo caught fire up forward to begin mowing down the lead.

Townrow levelled the scores after a strong period of four straight Echuca goals, with the two sides heading into the final break all-square on 23-apiece, setting up a grandstand finish.

Against the momentum, Ternes opened the scoring for Euroa, but it was the Magpies’ last for a while as Townrow produced a devastating spell that decided the game.

The goal shooter was involved in everything in the attacking end, scoring five of the next eight goals, all of which belonged to Echuca.

The side opened up a definitive six-goal margin halfway through the final quarter after looking down and out just 15 minutes earlier.

Vick, Lily Devlin and Greta Pearson were vastly superior in the midcourt, making it virtually impossible for Euroa to move the ball with any sort of fluency.

It was goal for goal as the time wound down and, as Sudomirski cut the lead to four, the siren sounded, cementing an inspiring victory for Echuca.

It was a second best-on-court grand final performance for Townrow, with the sharp-shooter having taken out the honour in Echuca’s most recent premiership in 2018.

And while the netballers erupted in delight as the final whistle was blown, Echuca’s senior footballers were locked in the thralls of battle with a familiar opponent in Kyabram.

The reigning premier found itself down by five points at half-time as the Bombers, farewelling coach Paul Newman in his final game, looked to be right up for the challenge.

But Echuca had been second-half specialists throughout the year against Kyabram and the question was whether the grand final made for an entirely different comeback.

It didn’t. Instead, it was another blistering performance from the Murray Bombers.

Jackson Stewart’s miraculous running snap within the first minute of the third term started a run of eight unanswered goals for Echuca, retaking the lead almost instantly.

But it was 18-year-old Hugh Byrne who stood up to the occasion early in the premiership quarter.

Byrne kicked truly on two occasions within the space of seven minutes to take his tally to three for the day.

Sam Reid got in on the action to launch Echuca out to a 21-point lead.

Injury concerns to Zac Norris saw him out of play momentarily, and opposing ruck Kane Morris capitalised with a goal from directly in front.

A Kyabram turnover in front of goal allowed Will Monahan to pounce on a goal of his own, the first of two in the shadows of three-quarter-time for the co-captain.

Liam Tenace added to the Echuca deluge to make it eight unanswered goals for the reigning premier and, while Kyabram broke that run through Brad Mangan, the Murray Bombers had blown the margin out to 39 points at three-quarter-time.

And the question of whether or not the Bombers would work their way into the contest was answered swiftly.

Tenace, Reid and Monahan led a five-goal final term — one that delivered a second consecutive Goulburn Valley League premiership with a 36-point victory, winning 15.13 (103) to 9.13 (67).

For the second year running, the final siren sparked joyous celebrations for the green and white supporters who made the trip down the highway, with tears rolling the down the faces of all and sundry.

The Murray Bombers stamped their authority on the competition as the best club of the two seasons, losing just two games in the last two campaigns and going back-to-back for the first time since 2002.

And for Echuca’s Sam Willoughby, it was another occasion to savour.

After being named last year’s umpire’s best on ground, the Echuca midfielder scooped both the umpires accolade and the Wilf Cox medal to round out a dominant performance.