NCWL ǀ Gallery ǀ Blockbuster Deakin double-header kick-starts new season

By James Kleeman

Apr 5, 2022

Good connection: United’s Matilda Henderson sends it forward. Photo by Aydin Payne

The youth girls got the 2022 Northern Country Women’s League season under way last Friday night, with Shepparton Swans and Shepparton United kicking off a Demons double-header at Deakin Reserve.

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The Swans girls got their season off to a flyer with an energetic performance against United, coming away with a hard-fought 39-19 win.

Both sides slowly grew into the game, cleaning out the obligatory first-game cobwebs which saw a goalless first half.

The match came alive in the third quarter, the Swans finding their scoring boots to pile on three goals to United’s one.

United kicked two more in the final term, but the Swans maintained their hold on the game from there, kicking another two to maintain a 20-point margin.

Lopsided results stole headlines in women’s action, with Echuca and Nathalia producing mammoth scores in round one.

The Purples were absolutely devastating from start to finish in their 119-0 win over Tatura at Nathalia Recreation Reserve, the reigning premiers sending a serious message to the competition at this early stage.

An unanswered four-goal first quarter had the home side in command from the get-go, the score quickly ballooning to 70 points after a huge seven-goal second term.

Abby Favaro looked lethal up forward, bagging a whopping nine goals.

Echuca was almost just as dominant in its 89-1 win over the Demons at Deakin; Remy Day, Jorden Irvine and Jodie Lake spearheading an Echuca masterclass.