In the club's first game since July 3, Echuca comprehensively put away Shepparton by 81 points at an eerily quiet Victoria Park to capture top spot on the Goulburn Valley League ladder.
Though it was a slow start for both sides, with only two first quarter goals scored, the Murray Bombers’ engine room starting ticking over in the second quarter to begin to run away with the game.
They conceded just two goals for the day, while kicking exactly seven goals each half, led by a silky six-goal haul from youngster Cooper Willoughby.
The Murray Bombers were without 11 of their best 22 through Melbourne's extended COVID-19 lockdown as well as injury, including that of captain Kane Morris (appendicitis).
But the depth of their list shone through as players moved up through the grades.
With its senior side driven by its youth brigade, co-coach Simon Maddox labelled Saturday's game "as good a win as they've had all year".
“To have so many players out and such a young talented side on the park and still get the job done comprehensively was a credit to the boys,” he said.
“We kept Shepparton to two goals and one was a free kick down-field.
“The kids we had playing, at one stage across our full-back line, it was one senior game, six, and two.
“And you've got Cooper Willoughby playing at full-forward in his second senior game, and Corbin Anderson in the forward pocket in his first game.
“It highlights the depth here; we've got our reserves and thirds on the top of the ladder.
“We were all able to roll up a spot, that old ‘one soldier down, one solider comes in’ philosophy.
“And we were still able to get wins in all grades of footy.”
While Maddox said experienced players such as Andrew Walker and Ben Reid continued to play their part, it was the conduct of younger players that impressed the most.
“Jack McHale, he would have had 40 plus possessions and he's 21 years old,” Maddox said.
“And Cooper, second best on ground, kicked six, he's 17-18. And Sam Willoughby, he's 20.”
Joining Anderson as a senior debutant was Callum Parsons, with their coach full of praise for both players.
“They really contributed,” Maddox said.
“Corbin used the ball exceptionally well and hit some really good passes, then kicked a really good goal from out near the boundary line.
“Cal, his composure sometimes in traffic, and he took a couple marks under real pressure, which was fantastic.
“Those boys showed they are well and truly up to playing senior football.”
Despite another tough loss for bottom-side Shepparton, Maddox credited the Bears for their efforts in fielding all three grades on the day, saying it could have been just as easy for them to throw in the towel.
“They've been struggling all year, and forfeited games in the reserves,” Maddox said.
“But they got a seconds team up and pushed our undefeated under 18 team within two or four points.
“And they were physical and had a crack in the seniors, no doubt at all. It was a big hats off to Shepparton.”
With two home-and-away games to go, Echuca leapt into top spot on the ladder following Seymour's second loss of the season to Mooroopna.
But with yet another stone thrown into the mix as all of New South Wales was put under a COVID-19 lockdown, Maddox said it was too early to tell how badly impacted his team would be for its round 18 away game against Tatura.
“Whatever barriers they throw in front of us, we'll knock it down,” Maddox said.
“Whether it's COVID, the GV, AFL Victoria, we feel we have a really good side, and okay, next week we may not have Melbourne or NSW players.
“But we'll front up again, find a way and make it happen, and we'll get the job done.”
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