It may not have been a free-flowing and goal-scoring spectacle, but the Goulburn Valley League grand final rematch was one almighty battle of attrition.
Euroa coach Scott Rowan labelled the 5.8 (38) to 6.11 (47) contest as a “real arm-wrestle”, as his side suffered a nine-point defeat.
Echuca led the tackling count by 14 (56-42) at Memorial Oval in Euroa, while the overall pressure count (97-67) went the way of the visitor.
The Magpies’ back six were fantastic with their pressure and laid a whopping 22 tackles in their defensive 50, compared to Echuca’s 14.
Euroa’s season average a game for tackles in the defensive 50 sits at 8.9.
Echuca had 43 inside-50 entries compared to Euroa’s 35, while the Magpies had 35 rebound-50s to Echuca’s 31.
Key stats
Disposals
Euroa: 280
Echuca: 290
Contested possessions
Euroa: 101
Echuca: 126
Intercept possessions
Euroa: 53
Echuca: 55
Marks inside 50
Euroa: 17
Echuca: 9
Turnovers
Euroa: 73
Echuca: 65
Scoring Efficiency
Euroa: 25%
Echuca: 38%
The home side had 13 intercept marks, Echuca had 12 — down from its usual game average of 17.
Euroa also managed to limit Echuca’s ability to hit a target inside the forward 50.
The Murray Bombers average 19 a game, but on Saturday Euroa won that statistical area, 17 to nine.
It is no surprise to see both outfits’ star defenders named best-on.
Ryan Pendlebury was Euroa’s standout, while Echuca duo Cameron Valentine and Mitch Kemp were the heroes in defence.
“There was a patch of seven minutes in the last quarter where the ball stayed in a 40m radius, there would have been 20 stoppages,” Echuca co-coach Sam Reid told the Riverine Herald.
“Jack McHale around the ball was good, Cam Valentine ... took four or five intercept marks — they just couldn’t get past him.”