Moama’s Emily Taverna was in the thick of a hard-fought affair against Rumbalara. Photos: Megan Fisher
It was an exciting weekend of Murray netball. As the season nears its conclusion, competing teams have their eyes firmly set on the finals.
Echuca United falls just short of Numurkah
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The Eagles and Blues went down to the wire in a back-and-forth contest in round 17.
Echuca United came out of the gates strong, scoring 10 goals in the opening quarter while holding Numurkah to just six, giving the Eagles a four-goal lead at quarter-time.
Consistency proved key for the Eagles as they mimicked their first-term form in the second, adding another 10 to the total.
The same could be said for the Blues, who scored an additional six goals in the second period, trailing by eight at the half-time siren.
Yet, a rest proved vital for the away team, which was renewed in the third term. They scored 11 goals while limiting Echuca United to seven. The difference was now just four, with a quarter to play.
The momentum swung in favour of the Blues, who capitalised with another 11-goal quarter.
The Eagles could only muster six goals in the home stretch, stumbling at the finish line and handing Numurkah a one-goal win.
The final score was Echuca United 33 to Numurkah 34.
It was a heartfelt contest for the two sides, who will both miss finals as they look to leave the 2024 season on a positive note.
Echuca United will have an opportunity to redeem itself and finish off the year strongly when it faces ninth-placed Congupna in round 18.
Magpies unable to snap Rumba’s undefeated season
In a clash of Murray netball titans, Moama came up short against a seemingly unstoppable Rumabalara outfit, which has yet to lose in 2024.
Determined to topple the flag favourites, the Magpies were strong in the first quarter, collecting 11 goals.
Yet, Rumba wasn’t going to back down either, notching 10 goals, the difference just one at the first break.
Rumbalara showed why it is yet to be beaten in the second period, piling on 14 goals to snatch the lead from the Magpies.
Moama added a respectable nine goals to its total but trailed by four at half-time.
While the Magpies remained consistent throughout the match, bagging 10 in the third, Rumba went from strength to strength, notching a staggering 17 goals to break the game open.
Now facing an 11-goal deficit and no sign of Rumbalara slowing down, Moama needed something special.
While finishing the game with nine goals in the fourth is respectable and consistent, it wasn’t the inspiring comeback required to knock off the table-toppers, who added 15 goals in the final frame to emerge victorious by 17 points.
The final score was Rumbalara 56 to Moama 39.
In what could be a Murray League grand final matchup, the Magpies now understand how to beat Rumba while showing enough promise to threaten the competition leaders.
Moama will aim to build momentum heading into finals when it faces 11th-placed Numurkah in the final round of the 2024 season.
Moama’s Lisa Drysdale was important early as a genuine contest unfolded against Murray League table toppers.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Blues and Rams battle it out for ladder position
The battle for a second chance continues, as both Tongala and Deniliquin had everything to play for in their match-up in round 17.
The Blues had a solid start to the game, ending the first quarter with 14 goals while holding the Rams to nine.
Yet, the Rams roared back into the game in the second period, scoring 17 games in the quarter to take a one-point lead at half-time over the Blues, who could only produce 11 in reply.
Deniliquin followed on its second solid quarter form in the third, bagging 16 goals to extend its lead.
Yet Tongala remained within striking distance, adding another 11 goals to its total. It was now trailing by six with a quarter to play.
The Blues brought their best to the final frame, ending the game as they started with 14 goals, but it wasn’t enough for the raging Rams, who were now unstoppable, finishing the quarter with 15.
Despite their best efforts, Tongala could not stop a Deniliquin side that carried all the momentum through three quarters.
The final score was Tongala 50 to Deniliquin 57.
Both teams are nipping at the heels of fourth-placed Nathalia, which has won an extra game. Yet fifth-placed Tongala and sixth-placed Deniliquin have the same record, with only goal difference separating the two.
It’ll come down to the final round to decide in what order the three sit. If the Blues and Rams both win their games and Nathalia loses, it will be the percentage that decides the order, which bodes well for Tongala, who has the best percentage of the three heading into the final round.
No team can afford to lose in round 18, with a spot in the top four up for grabs. Nathalia will have to punch above its weight to retain fourth, coming up against third-placed Finley, who will look to leapfrog Moama for second.
Meanwhile, Deniliquin has the easiest path to the fourth spot as it plays last-placed Barooga in round 18, who has managed only one win this season.
In contrast, Tongala must overcome the most significant obstacle in the competition to secure the fourth spot. In the final round, it will face an undefeated Rumbalara outfit.
However, if anyone is going to do it, it’s the 2023 reigning champions who will have a serious case to go back-to-back if they can do the impossible.
