Echuca players rejoice after pulling off a miracle comeback in the grand final. Photo: Megan Fisher
Photo by
Megan Fisher
You had to see it to believe it.
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Echuca trailed by 32 points heading into the final quarter against Shepparton Swans in the under-18s grand final and yet the boys in green came alive to snatch a single-point victory to claim the flag.
How did they manage to pull off a seemingly impossible feat? Was it a mix of determination and teamwork? Individual brilliance and sheer will? Or was it a little bit of everything?
Let's start at half-time, both sides had periods of good play in the first half and all seemed pretty even with Echuca nudging ahead at the extended break by a slim three points, 5.0 (30) to 4.3 (27).
This was when Shepparton Swans grabbed the game by the horns.
The Swans piled on six goals in a third-quarter blitz that looked like enough to sink the flag favourites.
Yet, strangely despite being on the receiving end of a scoring barrage, Echuca’s stats for the most part were better in that period of play.
The Murray Bombers had more disposals (83), marks (19), clearances (17) and inside 50s (12) compared to the Swans in the third quarter and had the same amount of marks inside 50 (3).
So how did the Swans dominate on the offensive end? It seems to have come down to their intensity, hustle and converting chances.
The Swans had more loose ball gets (21) while forcing Echuca into more turnovers (25) and forward turnovers (8) in the period.
Thirty-eight per cent of the Swans’ scoring came from turnovers in the third term, particularly turnovers inside 50.
A best on ground performance from Jaxson McMinn spurred Echuca’s comeback victory.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
The Swans notched a 72 per cent scoring efficiency and 75 per cent goal accuracy in the quarter compared to Echuca’s 25 per cent and zero respectively.
That all changed in the final frame.
Sometimes teams have that extra 10 per cent star power and clutch tenacity, it's hard to put your finger on exactly what it is but Echuca seems to have it in spades.
From the centre bounce to start the final period of the game, Murray Bombers upped the ante and dominated possession of the football, their contested possessions and intercept possessions for the quarter were 61 and 22 respectively.
The Murray Bombers also tightened up their care of the ball, having fewer turnovers in every part of the ground except upfront than the Swans.
Strangely enough, the boys in green had significantly fewer marks (6), uncontested marks (4) and intercept marks (4) than the Swans but still dominated the scoring, drilling seven goals in the quarter to the Swans’ two.
Echuca’s hustle seems to indicate what got it over the line, lodging 89 disposals, 14 gathers, 21 clearances and a staggering 20 inside 50s.
The Murray Bombers also had seven of the top 10 ranking point players in the contest, including the top three of Tom Evans, Darby Jones and Freddo McMahon medallist Jaxson McMinn.
At the end of the day, you can comb over as many statistics as you like but the fact is it came down to who wanted it more, and that historic fifth flag in a row was too sweet a proposition to give up for Echuca.
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