Having finished with only one win last season, the club’s senior combination is steeling itself for weeks four and five of the competition, having already faced three of the five unbeaten teams.
Echuca United is drawn to face the six teams considered by many — and so far backed up by results — to be top Murray league teams for 2022.
In round one this season the Eagles faced last year’s unbeaten Tongala combination and were beaten by 149 points. They then faced Deniliquin Rams and suffered a 107-point loss, followed by a 139-point defeat at the hand of Moama.
This weekend the team has an appointment with Cobram, which has won its opening three rounds by 98 points, 36 points and a massive 178 points.
In round five, Echuca United faces the last of the unbeaten five, Mulwala, which has scored 41, 30 and 35-point wins to start the season.
Naturally, given the early season results, United is not the only team to have started this season without a win.
After three rounds, Finley, Rumbalara, Nathalia and Barooga are all winless. The trouble is United faces Moama, Deniliquin, Cobram and Tongala twice this season.
United’s first shot at a win appears to be in round six, when it tackles Barooga. In a series of games that the club will be targeting, it then faces Nathalia and Finley in ensuing weeks.
President Anthony Chapman described the draw as “fairly rigorous”, but added the club always hoped to face neighbouring clubs Moama, Tongala and Deniliquin twice in a season.
“We get good crowds to those games. This year it just happens that they are very strong,” he said.
Chapman said the draw had been addressed at the start of the year.
“This year we are playing the top six sides twice and the bottom six sides once. That is the way it has worked out,” he said.
“At the moment it is a tough pill to swallow, but we fully realise that football goes in cycles.
“We have had our stronger times. At the moment we have a young community-based side.”
Echuca United has an unbeaten under-17s side, with players such as Fayte Belmont-Wickliffe and Oliver Poole stars of that team.
Poole played seven quarters of football last week when he was substitute for the senior team, which suffered three early injuries.
“We are very aware of the fact we have younger bodies. We regularly have discussions with (under-17s coach) Garet (Stobaus) and (seniors coach) Farran (Priest) about the young players,” Chapman said.
“We need to manage the expectation and welfare side of things.”
He said while the first five games were incredibly tough, the results of the under-17s side had been very encouraging.
“We will be allowing the under-17 team to be just that, a team. There is a fine line in these kids playing with their friends and us offering them a pathway to senior football,” Chapman said.
“By playing all the kids the way we are — and will continue — we can then look forward to next year.
“One thing is for sure, the teams who have played us certainly realise they have played a game at the end. It is just our guys, having such young bodies, are worn down toward the end.
“Our first quarters, even our first halves, have been our best football.
“We are very thankful to our supporters and our sponsors who are sticking with us. It is a big part of us moving forward.”
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