GVL Data | Spreading the love the key to Echuca’s early success

The Murray Bombers have boasted more than 10 individual goal-kickers from all three games so far this season.

Will Monahan and Hugh Evans lead the goal-scoring with seven apiece, but the four next-best scorers have come from the midfield, including Mitch Wales (five), Jack Evans (five), Sam Reid (four) and Sam Willoughby (four).

“We obviously lost a few forwards this season,” co-coach Reid said.

“But we’ve had a spread of 11 or 12 different goal-kickers — last year we probably had five with Ruory (Kirkby) kicking the most.”

And when it’s coming into the forward half as regularly as it does — 58 times a game on average — more often than not Echuca has been able to capitalise.

But despite the lopsided nature of some of the early-season results, there is one area Reid has flagged for improvement.

In recent weeks, Kyabram and Rochester enjoyed the better starts in the pressure stakes, winning the tackle counts and overall one-percent acts in the first quarter.

“Our starts are a work in progress,” Reid said.

“Against Ky a few weeks ago they kicked two goals in the first two minutes and last weekend Rochy kicked two before we even hit the scoreboard.”

But in a game of four quarters, the Murray Bombers will ultimately be pleased with the start of the 2023 campaign.