Premium Wednesdays | 2023 vs 2024: Which Goulburn Valley League footballing Team of the Year truly highlights the best of the best?

One thing both seasons shared in common was, of course, the continuing dominance out of the green machine by the border, with Echuca claiming senior flags both years and notching the footballing sweep in 2024.

The remarkable thing about what the Murray Bombers have achieved in their three-peat at the highest level, though, is the lack of game-breaking individual stats you find from their contributors.

As such, when you look at teams of the year for both seasons as assigned by The News, one may be surprised to find what looks a disproportionately low number of Echuca jumpers.

What we’re here to do is more than wax lyrical, however: we’re stacking these sides head-to-head and determining who would achieve the ultimate league supremacy, were these two sides to take the field in their current forms.

Now, to address the elephant in the room with this concept: yes, there are a small handful of players who wound up with successive nominations and would have appeared twice.

For the sake of realism, double-ups will be included in the 2023 team only, with 2024’s side topped up by replacements out of the array of players who were considered stiff to miss out in the first place.

Not a lot of changes were required, so the makeup of the 2024 side is still largely quite faithful.

Let’s begin with the older cohort, though:

Devised primarily by former News sports boss Aydin Payne, this side curiously features only one forward between the two grand finalists - Echuca and Kyabram - combined.

Four Murray Bombers adorn the squad in all, though, including team skipper Sam Reid, and the entire quartet would go on to feature in the dominant 2024 premiership as well.

Koenen is one who was stiff not to be selected in both seasons, while the likes of Adam De Cicco and Jackson Stewart were able to double up.

The 2024 leading goalkicker Riley Mason instead sneaks into the 2023 team where heads first started to turn his way, while players like Lach Smith and Jack O’Sullivan, who left the league after that year, would provide undeniable quality.

Now, the more recently crafted opposition:

An all-Echuca key position matchup between Valentine and Tenace is tantalising, with the 2024 side boasting more general ruck cover.

Perhaps the most coherent way to do this is line by line, so let’s go down the order.

2023 backs vs 2024 forwards: Depasquale and Pendlebury would have been acquainted well with two games against one another last year.

Clarke and Townrow’s continuing contributions are not to be discounted, but Johnston’s might and McShane’s forward craft should just deliver this trio the points. 1-0 2024

2023 half-backs vs 2024 half-forwards: Lach Smith and Koenen, while neither would be setting sprint records off the flank, present some imperious sets of hands to bring the ball out of the air.

Luke Smith and Simpson can each rotate higher up the ground and find plenty of ball, but Valentine should account for his Murray Bomber ally in the key slot to make the difference. 1-1

2023 centres vs 2024 centres: A tantalising trio of duels on this line.

De Cicco against Alderton is arguably the most prolific ball-winning matchup on the park, while Hayes has gone from strength to strength and earned a place back in Carlton’s VFL side, providing tough opposition for McHale.

Leading 2024 disposal-getter Beattie will have his hands full containing Penrith going the other way, but the newer side gets a very slight upper hand here. 2-1 2024

2023 half-forwards vs 2024 half-backs: Jett Trotter in 2023 was among the most unplayable livewires going around on his day, and solving that problem was sometimes more than a one-man job.

Curtis Ryan’s penchant for rebounds and gaining territory - albeit in a side which was almost always defending - would provide hassles all the same.

O’Keefe was a stone wall in the key slot at times, perhaps just covering Christopher enough to take the points. 3-1 2024

2023 forwards vs 2024 backs: Talk about firepower.

The gung-ho tandem offence of Jackson Trengove and Chris Nield was a heavy assault on most backlines around the comp that year before going separate ways, with Trengove vs Waite a particularly vital contest.

Magro was understated in finding the big sticks almost 50 times in his sole season at the Demons, and the fate of this hypothetical game could rest on this forward three. 3-2 2024

2023 vs 2024 rucks/followers: We were robbed of this ruck duel by Norris’ season-long injury, but Holland’s Morrison-winning form surely has to give him an edge.

How nice it would be to see Trewhella and O’Sullivan lock horns, as all four followers have served power-bound workhorse roles for their sides.

New Bomber McCarthy might just have the pace to cover, which delivers the 2024 side an overall victory. 4-2 2024