Moama's A-grade netball side, led by Lisa Drysdale, will be hunting grand final revenge in 2025. Photo: Rechelle Zammit
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Rechelle Zammit
With the football and netball season just a fortnight away, the Murray league executive committee is putting the finishing touches on the 2025 competition, with league president Dale Norman describing it as potentially the league’s best season yet.
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The season is set to begin on Saturday, April 5 with a full schedule of games featuring all 12 teams.
There are a number of notable matches that will get every footy fan’s tail wagging, with the Good Friday round three contests on the top of the list.
The annual Three Jacks Trophy clashes between Moama and Echuca will occur during that round and are expected to draw a crowd of up to 4000 people.
“The Three Jacks Trophy game is typically our most attended game outside the grand final, and we expect another big crowd to attend that game,” Murray Football Netball League president Dale Norman said.
Local derbies will also be aplenty during round three, with cross-river rivals Cobram and Barooga and high-flying sides Mulwala and Congupna set to take each other on.
Perhaps the most interesting match will be between historical rivals Deniliquin and Finley, with many theorising three-time AFL premiership-winning Geelong legend Tom Hawkins will make his triumphant hometown return in that contest.
Cameron Ilett will make his triumphant return to Tongala as the Blues look for a finals push this season. Photo: File.
“Good Friday is one of the best occasions of our season, it incorporates the tourists that come to the region,” Norman said.
“We are really looking forward to plenty of crows along the river for those games, as they always draw a huge crowd right across the league.”
The same match-ups will come back around in round nine for the King’s Birthday weekend, with the losers given a chance to redeem themselves against their most bitter rivals.
While Norman acknowledged the significant turnover of both administrators and players within the league, he highlighted the opportunity for new voices to inject fresh energy into the competition.
Echuca United may have more reason to celebrate in 2025, as they eye a bounce-back campaign. Photo: File.
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Aidan Briggs
“The air is abuzz with excitement for the season, which is marked by the numerous comings and goings of players and club staff, which has set the stage for an exhilarating year,” he said.
“The league always faces a few challenges throughout the pre-season, but we welcome a host of new players, who will each bring a host of skills to their respective teams.
“Those fresh faces are expected to have a significant impact and provide a new dynamic on the teams, we’ll see how it all pans out over the next six months.
“The clubs have done a magnificent job in pre-season; we have had a big turnover with six new club presidents, so they will bring a new energy to the competition.”
Norman then made some predictions for the season, which included his forecast of rising teams pushing for a chance to play finals football.
“This year promises to be the most exciting and competitive season yet, our bottom four sides will see significant improvement and could see some sliders fall out of the top six,” he said.
“Some up-and-coming clubs such as Cobram and Tongala will start to flex their muscles and enter the finals fray.”
Tongala and Echuca United will begin their campaigns against each other at Echuca South Recreation Reserve, while Moama will travel to Nathalia for the season opener.
