Murchison-Toolamba returns to Kyabram District League premiership glory, knocking over Shepparton East in the decider

Only a few hours before, the club’s reserves had saluted in their own decider.

When the two teams stood side by side on the premiership truck, belting out the song with enough vim and vigour to make a soprano blush, one thing was clear.

This was Murchison-Toolamba’s day.

Hoppers coach Brett Foley ratified the sentiment in the wake of a season where Murchison-Toolamba was king of the KDL as his side exorcised the demons of a grand final loss two years prior.

“You go all year since November to now, and you do all the hard yards and all the running; we drew two games, we hadn’t lost a game,” he said.

“Two years ago we came here as favourites and they had the rain and that, (the message was) not to come back in here and have that same feeling.

“I knew we had the group to do it today, but it was about not letting that opportunity slide.”

The first act of the game foreshadowed what was to come for the Hoppers.

Towering backman Andrew Lloyd took a monster intercept mark 10 seconds into the contest, and minutes later at the other end, brother Aidan Lloyd converted a low and true set shot through for the first of the day.

Murchison-Toolamba had two in the first five minutes when Leigh Wellington drifted a kick home from the other side, and though it was far from one way traffic, the Hoppers’ backline was solid enough to stifle Shepparton East’s forward surges.

Sure enough, the Eagles were seeing double when James Lloyd dribbled a daring snap off the left to put his side 19-1 up.

But when East needed a man to fire, Jayden Dhosi answered the call.

Dhosi received a quick handball and sent a dagger through the middle, raising the arm even before it had travelled all the way through, before Brandon Corish added the Eagles’ second from close in following a 50m penalty.

Early in the second term, Murchison-Toolamba bungled an early opportunity as Lloyd - of the James flavour - inexplicably handballed to a teammate who missed the pill on the goal line.

However, Lloyd soon atoned for his sin a minute later with a hulking contested grab and shot execution from 30 metres on a 45 degree angle to keep the buffer at 14 points.

Sure, tendrils of doubt began to creep into the Eagles’ camp at that point, but Tom McCluskey’s goalsquare finish reminded the Hoppers that this was far from a forgone conclusion as the half time scoreboard read 28-22.

Ashton Cashion cashed with two goals while the third quarter was in its infancy, and in a torrid period for Shepparton East, Jamie Spencer - who had been arguably the Eagles’ best until that point - stumbled off the park injured.

Some more Lloyd magic - from Aidan and James this time - saw both record majors and with sibling Andrew mopping up everything in the defensive 50, a knife was well and truly pressed to East’s sternum as the clock ticked into junk time.

At three quarter time, Murchison-Toolamba led by more than 30 points.

Ryan Pfieffer provided just what the Eagles required with his first goal a shade more than a minute into the final term, and though Adam Fichera added another halfway through the period, the Hoppers weren’t exactly letting their foot off the gas.

Aaron Miller pulled out a party piece goal from the pocket, hooking a snap shot high, over and through to rile the crowd once again.

Final applause was reserved for James Lloyd as he chimed in with two late majors to take his game tally to four, while brother Aidan was equally good for his three goals.

Best afield merits were bestowed to Andrew Lloyd, though, as his tireless guarding and goading - paired with countless intercept marks - kept East’s goal threats fairly tame for the four quarters.

For Shepparton East, McCluskey was his side’s best during the 13.13 (91) to 6.8 (44) defeat while Trent Baker and Dylan Webster Mill battled valiantly for the losing outfit.

“It was a really hard fought first half, they really brought it to us. We knew they would, they had some good players, they’re a nice and physical side,” Foley said.

“We were a bit undisciplined in the first half, and in the second half once we played our footy and put our heads down, we ran away with the win, which is very pleasing.

“They got a little bit of a spray at half time because I thought their discipline wasn’t too great, and then it showed in the second half once they just played the footy.”

Foley credited Jye Borg for his job on Jake Sutherland while also noting “the tall timber got us ahead” in light of supreme performances by the Lloyds as well as those of Devine brothers Ryan and Lachie.

There was an added element of feeling for many of the victorious Hoppers, too.

All three Lloyds, as well as Borg, Jai Utiger and Brayden Cecchin, had previously played for Shepparton East while Foley is also an ex-Eagle, making the latter’s parting comment all the more memorable as he soaked in the post-game atmosphere.

“That was my home, but maybe Murchison is my home now,” Foley said.