What shaped as the most intriguing Murray Football League season is delivering and then some in 2024.
There were plenty of extra eyes on the Sunday special last weekend as rivals Numurkah and Nathalia went toe-to-toe in the WorkSafe Country Club Game, delivering a contest befitting the occasion.
The past fortnight comprised the competition’s split round, where winless Barooga put up its most competitive display of the season, Mulwala fired a significant warning shot in extinguishing Deniliquin, while Rumbalara had a drought-breaking day out to remember against Echuca United.
With likely premiership favourite Congupna sitting alone atop the pile at 4-0 and four more teams four points back, they all count even at this early stage of the year.
The Purples (3-1), fresh off their hard-fought showcase victory in hostile territory last Sunday, welcome the undefeated Road to Nathalia Showgrounds in the game of the week.
Congupna’s last-gasp victory over Cobram, in which it ended the only other undefeated streak remaining, showed that a side that looked nigh on unstoppable in the first three weeks can at least be contained within reason.
Nathalia has shown the grit necessary to grind games out as well, however, making this a potential eight-pointer in the broader finals context.
Congupna coach Ben Bingham cannot and will not take matters for granted despite the unbeaten opening month.
“It’s another big game for us. It’s always good to test ourselves and Nathalia is a team you can’t take lightly,” Bingham said.
“The week off came at a good time for us, resting a few up and getting a couple of guys back into the team, which is really pleasing.
“Teams will always prepare themselves to try and knock off sides above them, but we’ve always got a mantra that we must be ready every week.
“Nathalia’s one of the top teams and we’ve got a point to prove by playing good footy against them.”
Bingham outlined that dividing and conquering the season was Congupna’s approach, rather than taking a whole view of the year.
“A big message of mine has been to focus on the blocks of the year,” Bingham said.
“We’ve finished our first one and started the year off well, but we have to reset and not rest on that start.
“We’re making sure the intensity will be right up from where we left off.”
Outside of Nathalia, Cobram (3-1) has its work cut out in welcoming an unlucky Numurkah side (1-3) to Scott Oval in another sure-fire tough contest.
Two other sides sitting at 12 points will keenly await any potential Congupna slip-ups just over the border when Moama (3-1) and Tongala (3-1) go head to head.
Having just scraped back into finals placings after an inauspicious start to its premiership defence, sixth-placed Mulwala (2-2) will come in as heavy favourite to prolong the misery of Echuca United (0-4).
In need of some concrete momentum after a see-sawing win-loss-win-loss pattern to begin the year, Finley (2-2) will be similarly favoured to make a strong impression on Barooga (0-4).
Hardinge Street Oval will witness a clash between two sides riding total opposite fortunes in their last go-around as Deniliquin (2-2) welcomes an exuberant Rumbalara (1-3) to the competition’s northernmost reach.