Like earlier this season in round three, Echuca laid to rest another 10-year hoodoo against fierce rival Kyabram on Saturday.
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Echuca got the chocolates over the reigning premier at Kyabram — something it has not been able to achieve for a decade — and claimed a gritty 38-point win over the Bombers.
Inaccuracy did not cost the Murray Bombers in the top four clash, as they cruised to an 8.21 (69) to 4.7 (31) victory.
Mitch Kemp and ruckman Kane Morris were standouts for the away side, while playing coach Andrew Walker was again at his starring best.
Kyabram's Jack Sheldon, Jason Morgan and Jake Parkinson flew the flag for the home side.
Kyabram blooded two debutants, Anthony Depasquale (one goal) and Charlie Barnett.
The round 10 result had Echuca leapfrog the Bombers into second spot on the Goulburn Valley League ladder.
In bitterly cold conditions, Echuca found itself suffering another slow start to trail the Bombers by eight points at quarter-time.
But from thereon in, it was all the bottle green, as they ground out what Walker called a "real gutsy Echuca-style win" in what was the league-wide Indigenous Round.
“We had a major focus on the defensive side of our game and we felt we hemmed them into certain parts of the ground and it went to plan that way,” Walker said.
“We got off to a slow start, but were able to wrestle it back. It was just another really solid win by the boys.”
Walker was not fazed by his side's wayward kicking, highlighting the strength of Kyabram's defence which pushed Echuca's forwards to the boundary.
“The way Kyabram set up behind the ball, with (Jason) Morgan, (Lachie) Smith, (Jack) Sheldon, they usually hold that corridor really well,” he said.
“So naturally it forces you out a little bit wider, so that's probably why the scoreboard has 20 plus points on it.
“The good sign is though it's the most scoring shots we’ve had in a game and we just did it against the (reigning) premier team.”
19°C