With most local teams sitting out with a bye this past weekend, it’s a good opportunity to look at where sides stand ahead of their run home towards the finals.
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This time the focus is on netball and how local sides have fared so far.
GVNL
Echuca (8-3-1, third)
The Murray Bombers’ premiership defence got off to a shaky start, as a weakened side, missing key premiership players, including Stephanie Vick and coach Belinda Lees, the side dropping three of its first four games.
Lees’ return corresponded to an uptick in form, and while Echuca has had some close calls, the champion team hasn’t suffered defeat since; a draw with Tatura in round nine being the closest it has come.
The Murray Bombers have pushed up into third place, trailing two of the sides that defeated them early in the year, Euroa and Mooroopna.
After this weekend’s meeting with Seymour, the Cats and the Magpies are next up for Echuca. If the Murray Bombers want to retain their title, proving their full-strength side is capable against the league’s best will be at the forefront of their mind.
After those key meetings, a second match-up with a competitive Seymour (8-3), as well as games against Rochester and Shepparton Swans, will round out Echuca’s regular season.
MNL
Moama (10-2, second)
The Magpies have taken the next step after a fringe finals performance in 2023 and look to be one of the contenders for this year’s Murray league crown.
Moama has come closer than anyone to a rampant Rumbalara, and has now won seven straight, including getting a win back over champions Tongala, the side who handed it its other loss in round five.
The Mowers’ clinical nature is reflected in a healthy 164.61 percentage, far higher than their chasers in places three to six.
Deniliquin Rams (8-4) and a return meeting with Rumbalara (12-0) shape as the highlights of the Magpies’ last six games, as they look to hold on to a top-two place and the finals double-chance that comes with it.
Tongala (8-4, fifth)
Tonny’s premiership defence started well as the Blues opened their account with five straight wins.
While not without its challenges, that early fixture list featured many of this year’s weaker sides and when the games got more challenging, the champions saw mixed fortunes follow.
Since round six, each of the league’s top four sides have scored wins over Tongala, resulting in the Blues’ current fifth position.
Tonny will lament what might have been in their past two games, against Deni Rams, where they lost by just two goals, and Moama, who defeated them by seven.
Return matches against Deni and Rumba to conclude the season could prove pivotal to the Blues’ finishing position this year.
Echuca United (2-9-1, ninth)
It has been a tough campaign for the Eagles, who would have been hoping to push on after a finals appearance last year.
Injuries plagued the side early in the campaign, and United couldn’t grab a maiden win until round seven.
Since coming together with a full squad, the Eagles have looked more competitive but haven’t been able to overcome some of the league’s better outfits.
A second win of the year, over Numurkah, restored some confidence, and United will be targeting the Blues again in round 17 and Congupna in round 18 as winnable fixtures, hopefully allowing them to finish their season on a high.
PDNL
Picola United (4-8,10th)
The Blues have made some progress this year, already bettering their 2023 win total in this campaign.
Still, Picola United hasn’t been able to challenge the league’s top sides, with all four of its wins coming against teams lower on the table.
A gulf between the top seven and the rest leaves the eighth spot within reach for the Blues, who are two games behind Tocumwal in the last finals place.
Facing three of the top six in their remaining four fixtures will make it difficult for Picola as they look ahead to building for the 2025 season.
Mathoura (3-9, 14th )
A pair of wins over Blighty and one over winless Yarroweyah have been the only successes for the Cutters in 2024.
Mathoura had hoped to improve on its six wins in 2023 but has instead slipped back into a pack of lower-table teams.
With three other teams on three wins and two above them on four, the Timbercutters have the opportunity to finish on a high and greatly improve their ladder position in their last four fixtures, with match-ups with Jerilderie and Tungamah the best opportunities to pick up points.
HDNL
Leitchville-Gunbower (8-4, fourth)
It’s almost an entirely different L-G side in 2024, with six of the seven Bombers starters in round one joining the club in the off-season.
The revamp has proved effective, and L-G has hovered around the top four for most of the season, dispatching all but the league’s top sides with relative ease.
With only five teams realistically in the running for the title, a game against ladder-leader White Hills is the most significant of the Bombers’ remaining fixtures, as they jockey for a favourable finals seeding.
Lockington-Bamawm United (2-10, eighth)
LBU has endured a disappointing season, well beaten in most of its fixtures.
The Cats’ consecutive wins against Huntly and Mount Pleasant were their only successes of the season thus far.
With the bottom four sides all sitting on two wins, LBU has the opportunity to prove itself best of the rest over the closing stretch.
Two winnable match-ups in the Cats' run home are a rematch with Mount Pleasant and a fixture against fellow strugglers North Bendigo.
Cadet sports journalist