Captain courageous: Will Wild was forced from the ground half-way through Sunday's grand final and returned to the playing field with a mummy-like appearance.
Grand final umpires: James McLeod, Will Mitchell, Isaac Chandler, Steve Williams, James Meek, Andrew Moore, Adam Napier, Ash Ball and Doug Fraser before the game at Deakin Reserve.
Kyabram reserves’ Goulburn Valley league season ended in bitter disappointment, comprehensively outplayed by Echuca in Sunday’s season decider.
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The Bombers never really got into the contest, jumped in the first quarter by Echuca who kicked the first two goals of the game and five of the first six goals.
From then on the Bombers played catch-up football and never really gave their fans any hope they could change the momentum of the game and suffered a 28-point loss — 11.7 (73) to 6.9 (45).
Goals by Mitch Dodos and Jarryd Pertzel in the second term bridged the margin to 18 points at half-time but that was as close as Kyabram got for the rest of the game.
Echuca kicked the first two goals of the third term which put paid to any chance of a serious Kyabram comeback.
Many Kyabram players seemed overwhelmed by the occasion, fumbling and constantly turning the ball over. But a lot of that was due to the constant pressure Echuca applied.
The Bombers also lacked dominant forwards who were brushed aside by a robust, strong-marking Echuca defence.
Coin toss: Kyabram captain Will Wild and stand-in Echuca captain Jack Tenace who accepted the trophy with Jayden Howe, who suffered a season-ending injury in the semi-final against Kyabram.
Thirds player Mitch Dodos was the most active of the Kyabram forwards, kicking two of Kyabram’s six goals and was also effective in defence.
Dodos, who has played at every level from under-18s to seniors this season, was a late call-up after missing the last few weeks recovering from injury.
Another of the under-18s Adam Pulsoni also bobbed up regularly to show his class.
Looking for answers: Kyabram reserves coach Tom Curnow and assistants, Brenton Sheppard and Billy Ryan, go to work on grand final day.
James Curnow also presented but couldn’t convert along with Jarryd Pertzel and Jamie Scapin.
Ruckman Brodie Thomson put in tirelessly for four quarters and other onballers in Mitch Gugliotti and Brodie Easton gave their all.
Other onballers in Sean Dillon, James Ross and skipper Will Wild found touch as the game wore on but the damage had been done.
The win was a centre pin in a footy premiership treble for Echuca who also won the senior and under-18s premierships in a memorable day for the club.
My best for Kyabram were Mitch Dodos, Mitch Gugliotti, Brodie Thomson, Brodie Easton, James Curnow, Adam Pulsoni.
• A stunning last-quarter comeback delivered Echuca a grand final victory for the ages.
The Murray Bombers outclassed and ran over the top of Shepparton Swans with five goals in the fourth term to clinch an 8.9 (57) to 5.8 (38) victory at Deakin Reserve on Sunday.
Led by an inspirational Darchi Clarke and a classy Hugh Byrne, the pair finished with the best-on medals, Echuca pulled away to steal a 19-point win over the Swans and to rubber stamp a treble of flags in the Goulburn Valley League under-18 competition.
Just like the club’s stars from the 2018 and ’19 deciders, Echuca’s 2022 crop dug deep to find an extra reserve at the last break.
Clarke rose to the occasion for the Murray Bombers, but the Swans had their own standout performer across the four quarters.
Star on-baller Joeve Cooper (three goals) did everything he could to steer the Swans to victory, but he needed more support late when the game was on the line.
Cooper impressed with his intercept marks, one huge grab in the second term in particular, while he hit the scoreboard with crucial goals.
Despite dominating in patches, Echuca lost to Shepparton Swans by 16 points in the under-16 grand final of 2022.
The Murray Bombers had the run of play but could not capitalise in front of goal as the minor premier’s season ended with a 11.7 (73) to 7.15 (57) defeat.
Tom Evans was enormous for the Murray Bombers with four goals and plenty of the football, but young Swans’ gun Caiden Phillips was a force as best-on-ground to deliver the Shepparton Swans a flag on grand final day.
The Murray Bombers could not capitalise on extended periods of dominance, booting 1.6 in the third quarter, and Harper Simpson’s sealer late in the fourth quarter handed Swans the win.
Crash landing: Sean Dillon is about to meet the Deakin Reserve turf in typically determined fashion against a dominant Echuca reserves outfit.
Grand final surprise: Mitchell Dodos made a shock return to football in the grand final with Kyabram's reserve grade team, having not played since June 18.
Breaking free: Jarrod Pertzel was kept in close check by the Echuca defence, having been identified as the Bombers major target in attack.
Close checking: Jarryd Pertzel is involved in an early grand final day scrap with his Echuca opposition.
Big man kicking: Brodie Thomson battled manfully against the odds, leading a second-half recovery for the Bombers.
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