Rumbalara is finishing the Goulburn Murray Women’s and Girls’ League at a rate of knots

By Liam Nash

Jul 2, 2024

Tatura’s Courtney Storen and Rumbalara’s Chelsea Hall contest a ruck duel during Sunday’s match. Photo by Megan Fisher

Take this Rumbalara team back to April and, suddenly, are finals a reality?

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That’s the question Rumba coach Shannon Atkinson is asking himself following his side’s barnstorming run of form in the Goulburn Murray Women’s League at the minute.

Rumbalara has rolled three of its past four opponents, the latest of which arrived in the form of a 9.12 (66) to 2.3 (15) point beating of Tatura at Mercury Drive on Sunday.

Atkinson’s charges are flying in the back end of the campaign, but with 22 points to make up to break into the top four with two regular season games remaining, hindsight is indeed 20-20.

But that’s not a bad thing.

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Tatura’s Sarah Lange-Richards wraps up Rumbalara’s Nerrissa Leitch. Photo by Megan Fisher

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Tatura’s Courtney Storen and Rumbalara’s Jamilah Pynor go for the ground value. Photo by Megan Fisher

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Rumbalara’s Ayse Aykin fires up after kicking a goal. Photo by Megan Fisher

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Tatura’s Storm Guthrie chases down Rumbalara’s April Atkinson. Photo by Megan Fisher

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Tatura’s Storm Guthrie thumps it out of the back line. Photo by Megan Fisher

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Rumbalara’s Altaya Atkinson juggles the football ahead of Tatura’s Belinda Guerra. Photo by Megan Fisher

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Rumbalara’s Che Atkinson swings it up the park. Photo by Megan Fisher

It shows that Rumbalara has vastly improved since losing eight games on the trot to start the season, holding the team in great stead heading into 2025.

“I just wished we would have found this form earlier in the season and then we probably would’ve had a chance at finals,” Atkinson said.

“Hopefully (we can) get a couple of more wins and build on the team’s success for next year.

“That’s what this year really was about, getting the team together and building that team chemistry for the next few years to come.”

Atkinson must’ve felt like an alchemist at half-time on Sunday against Tatura.

Rumbalara’s team chemistry bubbled and fizzed from the bounce as the hosts led 50-1 by the main break, with a 5.1 opening term followed by a 3.1 effort large in part due to a savvy call from Atkinson.

“We sort of came up with the plan before the game that we’d start the quarter off with the wind behind us to get the jump on them, and it worked out pretty well,” he said.

“At half-time I just told them to keep playing the way they were; I tell them every quarter that the scores are 0-0 every time you go out.”

Though neither side split the big sticks in the third quarter, Tatura — and Lauren Barber in particular — finished with a bang.

The Bulldogs’ jet kicked two goals in a show of Tatura reprisal, though Rumbalara walked into the home sheds with four points, having done the hard yards in the first half.

Tatura was well served by Sarah Lange-Richards, Maddy Andronaco and Charlie Ohara, while Ayse Aykin and April Atkinson kicked three goals each for Rumbalara — though two others caught the eye of their coach.

“I think it was a great team effort and there were a few standouts,” Atkinson said.

“Frances Atkinson, she usually plays at the back, but I switched her into the forward line this week.

“It proved to be a smart move, she found plenty of the ball and got forward entries for us, set up a few goals.

“Chelsea Hall, she battles hard in the ruck every game all day. Other than that, Ayse and April kicking a bag each (was good).”

Meanwhile, Nathalia shone under the Friday night lights as the Purples upended Shepparton United by two points at Deakin Reserve, while Echuca and Mansfield got the job done against Barooga and Nagambie respectively.

In the girls’ division, Shepparton United’s Tabitha Ingham finished with eight majors as the Demons belted Nathalia 16.17 (113) to 3.0 (18).

Ingham’s bag was closely followed by Harper Delamere’s six-goal destruction during Echuca United’s 16.20 (116) to 1.1 (7) win against Barooga and Katie Shanon’s half-dozen for Moama in the Magpies’ 107-point victory over Shepparton Swans.