There’s no other way to put it when you’re dealing with two perennially ‘there or thereabouts’, one with a dynasty of success last decade, especially given these two teams have been the past two grand final runners-up.
A see-sawing three-point thriller between the Bombers and Magpies under lights early in the season could serve as an effective preview in its own right, but they’ve demonstrated remarkably similar trends in the months since.
Pies and Bombers shape up similarly (avg. per game)
Contested possessions: 144.1 (sixth) - 144.3 (fifth)
Disposals: 346.4 (fifth) - 346.8 (third)
Centre clearances: 9.8 (joint-sixth) - 9.6 (ninth)
Intercept marks: 12.8 (eighth) - 13 (seventh)
Spoils: 12.8 (11th) - 13 (10th)
Kyabram may lead in four out of the five statistics highlighted, but the differences contained within are all but negligible.
Now, of course, these two sides aren’t total clones of one another, and there are a handful of stylistic differences.
Kyabram, the visitor this Saturday in round 13 of Goulburn Valley League, is a much more freely marking side than its black and white foes, sitting top of the tree for average grabs a game and taking more than 20 marks more a week than Euroa.
This is pertinent because, despite ultimately falling just short in that April epic, the Bombers established the advantage they had largely because of their ability to comfortably outmark Euroa 103-76.
One of the most frenetic displays of football you’ll see at any level this year came in the final half-hour of that memorable clash, where total ground ball gets — another category in which you can barely separate these sides — were dead even.
One of the distinguishable advantages Euroa does have is a knack for repeat entries inside 50, even without taking as many grabs inside the arc as most other clubs.
Winning that tally by a double-digit margin was pivotal in creating the offensive pressure needed to squeeze out a couple of late goals to just barely hold the Bombers at bay.
In Kyabram’s case, it certainly helps whenever Bailey Tome is around, given his eye-popping averages of 11 clearances, 18 contested possessions, 12 tackles and 5.2 hard ball gets a game from his four starts in 2024.
While the league’s premier offensive weapon in Kyabram’s Anthony Depasquale has continued to fire up week after week, now just two majors shy of the half-century mark, Will Hayes’ recent form for Euroa is sure to leave some questions over forward supply.
Having suited up for Carlton’s VFL side last weekend during the GVL split round, and amassed a handy 34 touches in doing so, Hayes has averaged exactly that many disposals a game for Euroa alongside 6.5 loose ball gets and 5.1 inside 50s.
It’s a game that could well resemble a rugby scrum in large parts around the stoppages, with 11 different players — six Magpies and five Bombers — registering 10 or more contested possessions in their last meeting.
This clash has game of the round or perhaps even game of the year potential and, with all of the top three sides heavily favoured to advance their causes over unfancied opposition, this might be a contest well worth the trip.
ˑ This weekend’s One FM broadcast match is Euroa versus Kyabram, live on air from 1.30pm.
