GVL Data | Echuca and Benalla by the numbers

By Alexander Dabb

Aug 3, 2023

Get around him: Echuca celebrates a goal in round 15 against Euroa. Photo: Josh Huntly

Get around him: Echuca celebrates a goal in round 15 against Euroa. Photo: Josh Huntly Photo by Josh Huntly

But for one small blip against Seymour, Echuca has continued along its merry way this season in the Goulburn Valley League.

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When looking at the stats, you’d be hard pressed to find anything that would suggest the Murray Bombers will veer off course when they meet Benalla this weekend.

The reigning premier leads the way in contested possessions (138.5), disposals (334.3), marks inside 50 (17.3), centre clearances (11.7) and goals (15.9) per game.

Benalla, on the other hand, rank 11th (111.1), 12th (262.7), 11th (9.5), fourth (10.5) and 11th (7.4) respectively in the same statistics.

And while the Murray Bombers boast big numbers across the board, as would be expected from a side that sits 14-1 for the year, they’ve also shown the ability to increase their output when the scoreboard dictates it is needed.

In the past three weeks, the Murray Bombers have twice found themselves behind at half-time against both Kyabram and Euroa.

But in both games, they have unleashed a fiery second half, first outscoring Kyabram 9.6 (60) to 3.0 (18) in the third and fourth quarters, before kicking 10.4 (64) to Euroa’s 4.1 (25) in the second half last week.

In that second half against Kyabram, Echuca was +64 in disposals, +40 in contested possessions, and +25 in inside 50s. It mirrored that output in the second half against Euroa, going +43 in disposal, +16 in contested possession and +15 in inside 50s.

If Benalla is able to defy the gulf in numbers and stick close to Echuca at half-time, the Murray Bombers’ recent form suggests they will be facing a much more intense side following the break.