Echuca will be wary of Seymour using Jack Murphy as an outlet again on Saturday after he took 15 uncontested marks in the sides’ round-13 meeting. Photo: Megan Fisher
Photo by
Megan Fisher
The Goulburn Valley League heads into a unique split round 16 over the next two weekends.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
While each week would normally see half of the league take to the field while the rest sit out, the round is also being used to catch up on some rescheduled fixtures throughout the season.
Nominally a round-two encounter, Echuca and Seymour will meet again this weekend at Kings Park in Seymour, just three weeks after their first match-up on July 13.
Ben Rigoni disrupted Echuca the last time the sides met, making 10 tackles and grabbing eight intercept possessions. Photo: File
The Lions were the only side to beat Echuca in 2023 and, the stats after their round-13 meeting showed that Seymour matched or bettered Echuca in almost all key statistics except for the scoreboard.
Given the recency of the two sides’ last fixture, it’s worth looking at some of Seymour’s top performers in that game, as they could trouble the Murray Bombers again on Saturday.
Jack Murphy, Ben Rigoni and Nathan Beattie stood out for the Lions as their ranking points leaders against the Murray Bombers.
Having analysed Beattie’s impact ahead of that fixture, it’s Murphy and Rigoni’s time in the spotlight.
Murphy was the possessions leader across both sides in the game against Echuca, the Seymour wing disposing of the footy 34 times at a tidy 88 per cent efficiency.
The Lions like to play at a slower pace than most and focus on finding the open man, and in round 13 Murphy was the open man more often than anyone, grabbing 15 marks, none of them contested.
Murphy was also a key piece for the Lions breaking out of defensive 50, contributing five rebound 50s.
Seymour on-baller Ben Rigoni was also a key player in the Lions’ previous meeting with Echuca.
Rigoni also had a healthy share of the ball with 30 disposals (14 contested) and earned five clearances for his side.
He also made his mark defensively, hunting down opponents for 10 tackles and snatching eight intercept possessions.
12°C