The senior girls contingent got their Coates Talent League season formally under way early on Saturday against the Bendigo Pioneers, and left no doubt at all on the Wangaratta Showgrounds with a scorching display.
Shepparton United trio Leila Creevey, Lana Carroll and Matilda Henderson flew the local flag themselves as five goals to Lavington’s Rose Bell played a major role in blowing away the Pioneers for a first-up 11.13 (79) to 2.2 (14) thrashing.
Having notched a sole victory in the 2024 season, starting the new campaign 1-0 is already a sign of tremendous year-on-year improvement.
“It was really good; we’ve worked really hard during the off-season on the cultural side of our game and the way we want to be perceived within the community and the Coates League family,” coach Tyson Saunders said.
“The girls have worked really hard at trying to build that culture and perception, and I think Saturday was a real reflection of the hard work and effort that’s gone into that.
“The girls were really keen to get out there and play and that showed in their efforts.
“I know on the back of a lot of the North-East Border being squad heavy, the Goulburn Valley side is once again one of those areas that they’re really working hard on creating more opportunities for younger girls.
“As a whole, female sport in the Goulburn Valley is starting to really take shape — there’s still a lot of work that needs to go into it, but it definitely feels like it’s on the right path.”
Under-18 boys coach Mark Brown was looking for a response after his side was trounced in the season opener on neutral turf by the Gippsland Power.
He got what he was looking for as his charges also went toe-to-toe with the Pioneers.
Again featuring a swathe of Goulburn Valley prospects among the starting side, the Bushrangers were tasked with overcoming the early woes which saw the Power run out to a five-goal lead in the blink of an eye at Craigieburn six days prior.
His unchanged squad listened, and despite trailing by eight points at the first change, had all the more reason to believe things were turning around.
Though Brown’s side had the slimmest of advantages at three-quarter time, a Pioneers side featuring early 2026 draft fancy and current Echuca standout Cody Walker simply created too many chances, running just over the top to claim a tight 13.11 (89) to 13.5 (83) victory.
As far as the locals were concerned though, there was more to like around the big sticks from Mansfield’s Jack Marks and emerging Shepparton Swan Flynn Grumley, who contributed two apiece.
In addition to Marks and Grumley, Shepparton junior Ryan Ash was named among the Bushrangers’ best in defeat for the second week running.
With school holidays in effect, the under-16 Bushrangers boys are scheduled for a rare dose of midweek action in travelling to Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval for a meeting with the Geelong Falcons in a Thursday triple-header later this week.
