HOT PIE PARTY: Euroa claims long-awaited Goulburn Valley League A-grade premiership, upsets Echuca’s sweep

Of anyone, these two teams would know what it takes, having contested the decider 12 months ago, but the Murray Bombers had the winds of momentum at their backs with all three earlier teams saluting.

With Echuca looking to make it four from four while their senior football counterparts kicked off across the walkway, it was a fervent atmosphere with a swathe of both fans having already watched netball premierships for these two clubs.

It was unsurprisingly star goaler Olivia Morris who drew first blood in the main event, her 864 sunk across the season sitting far and away at the competition’s summit.

Euroa was not only the beneficiary of some uncharacteristic wayward balls from the defending premiers, but winning plenty of its own possession in a powerful first term that saw the Magpies up 15-8 at the first break.

The first ball to appear down Echuca’s end in the second term was actually a stray football off the neighbouring court as Euroa picked up where it left off.

Hollie Reid was in the trenches, taking two first-quarter tumbles and almost handstanding herself on an interception, such was the frenetic nature of the second stanza.

Sitting on a 10-goal margin at the half, Euroa had to grit the teeth at times in order to preserve that gap in the third as the arm-wrestle that throngs of observers came expecting began to materialise.

Simply put, this was no longer being played the Euroa way.

On and on the tussle went as the Magpies rung in the changes, utilising their five-strong bench including multiple girls backing up from the B-grade flag immediately before.

The Murray Bombers ran it in with optimism at the final change having closed the margin to the quarter time deficit of seven.

The first few minutes of local netball’s closing act were quite unlike anything we’d seen in the first 45 - cagey, lateral and almost pensive.

It was the usual Morris show under the ring, but the two goal attacks in Mia Sudomirski and Belinda Lees were stealing the show between those goals.

Chants of “Ellie, Ellie, Ellie” rang out courtside as Pies coach Warnock started taking care of every threat that came near her in the crucial moments.

It was party time before long as 41 years in the wilderness drew ever-closer to conclusion, the black and white hopefuls spoiling what would have been an Echuca five-for-five sweep on grand final day in a dose of revenge, winning 50-38.

Hollie Reid was aptly rewarded for her often extraordinarily physical efforts as best on court at presentations.

Post-match, assistant coach Kelly Hill - herself not lost among the premiership medals - spoke with nothing but pride at the afternoon that was.

“It absolutely is an incredible feeling,” Hill said.

“There’s no greater motivation than losing a year ago.

“I feel like our best netball was always gonna be really hard to beat and I feel like we did that today; we put our best foot forward and proved that.

“It was an incredible start, and that’s not normally our strength but we’ve been in really good form; our first final against Mooroopna was a blip but they’ve played some sensational netball.

“We went 110 per cent from the first whistle but we knew Echuca would come and come again and they never let us rest on our laurels, which is what good teams do.”

With Reid and Morris providing a gigantic difference on the court after neither formed part of the 2023 grand final side, Hill rightly paid tribute to the duo’s influence.

“Hollie was incredible. She did a power of work in offense and found the circle edge really nicely,” Hill said.

“She had to do a lot of work defensively as well and she’s a great talent. She thoroughly deserved it today.

“Liv had to sit out most of last year so having her back for 18 rounds was just incredible.

“Having her in the side makes it very, very hard for defenders to shut down and you can’t just double team her because Mia will make you pay.”

In breaking a drought going back to long before any of Sunday’s starting black and white lineup was born, the town was abuzz with support during the week.

Hill recognised the impact of this win, not just in a historical context, but in terms of pure demographics.

“This has been a journey for 40 years that the whole club has been on to put competitive teams together across the board,” Hill said.

“When you’re a town the size of Euroa against a town the size of Echuca, we’re pretty up against it but we’ve created a destination where people want to be.

“We’re so proud of that and the girls all love each other.

“Our culture is second to none and that’s what I’m most proud of.”