It was those in green raising their arms as the final whistle sounded in the Goulburn Valley League A-grade netball grand final, as Echuca saluted a magical come-from-behind premiership win.
The 35-31 victory was hard-fought, and at times looked unlikely, as Euroa was the dominant side for periods of the game.
As expected, there were mistakes made in the opening few minutes as each side settled into their rhythm, before Mia Sudomirski opened the scoring for Euroa.
Echuca coach Belinda Lees opened the account for her side as the two foes went toe-to-toe for the rest of the quarter.
Euroa’s patient build-up and delivery to Sudomirski, who netted all eight of the Magpies’ first-quarter goals, gave it the slenderest of leads at the first break.
A tense opening stanza in the second saw each side turn the ball over multiple times, before Euroa made its first real move, putting five consecutive goals on the board to open up a margin of the same value.
Sheridan Townrow inserted herself into the game, clunking some big rebounds and combining well with Lees inside the semi-circle to trim the margin back to two at the half.
Euroa’s ability to score quickly was on show again as the second half got under way.
Sarah Ternes was beginning to make more of an impact on the scoreboard and Sudomirski continued her brilliance as Eliza Hoare and Sophie Owen looked well on top in the midcourt.
Echuca looked tired, and as the lead reached a game-high six goals, it was hard to imagine a way back for the Murray Bombers.
But the experienced heads rose to the occasion for Echuca, with Stephanie Vick being swapped back to centre giving her side a huge boost.
The pressure and intensity stepped up yet again, with Ash Mangan starting to get on top in her defensive duel, winning the ball back for Echuca multiple times, as Echuca’s formidable shooting duo caught fire up forward to begin mowing down the lead.
It was Townrow who levelled the scores after a strong period of four straight Echuca goals, with the two sides heading into the final break all-square on 23-apiece, setting up a grandstand finish.
Against the momentum, Ternes opened the scoring for Euroa, but it was to be the Magpies’ last for a while as Townrow produced a devastating spell that would decide the game.
The goal shooter was involved in everything in the attacking end, scoring five of the next eight goals, all of which belonged to Echuca, who opened up a definitive six-goal margin halfway through the final quarter after looking down and out just 15 minutes earlier.
Vick, Lily Devlin and Greta Pearson were vastly superior in the midcourt, making it virtually impossible for Euroa to move the ball with any sort of fluency.
It was goal for goal as the time wound down and, as Sudomirski cut the lead to four, the siren sounded, cementing an inspiring victory for Echuca.
It was a second best-on-court grand final performance for Townrow, with the sharp-shooter having taken out the honour in Echuca’s most recent premiership in 2018.
Lees was in tears following the presentation of the cup, her fifth premiership in the GVL, but her first for Echuca.
“I’m just so emotional, and to do it for my home club is just incredible,” Lees said.
“I played my first A-grade season with them 20 years ago, 20 years to this season, so that’s incredible to win for them.
“The group is just amazing and it’s been a year where we’ve had to come together, and I’m so proud of them, and it took all of us out on court today to be able to win that.
“To come from behind and not give up and just work harder for longer, just that relentless desire to win — we had no other choice, we were going to win that game, so I’m just so proud of them.”
Despite trailing by six goals midway through the third term, Lees said her side never doubted its ability to seal the win.
“Always, always, we absolutely believe in each other,” she said.
“That was something that we knew no matter what the scoreboard said, we were going to keep playing and we were going to ride it out.
“We knew if we kept going we would get on top, so irrelevant of what the score may have said at any time, we were never going to give up. I’m just rapt.”
Having won four flags at Kyabram alongside Mangan, Vick and Lauren Jones, Lees was immensely proud of the fifth they had achieved together, having all become mothers since the last triumph.
“This is the first time we’ve done it all as mums,” she said.
“So that’s pretty special, to be able to get back together and be on court together. We just have such a bond. They’re my everything, they really are.
“They’re such special people, they’re just amazing people, they’re my best friends and we just play for each other. It’s a really, really special bond we have.”
An already teary Lees was overcome with emotion when speaking about what it meant to achieve the victory in front of her family, especially her father, who is battling a terminal illness.
“It might be my dad’s last game and for him to see that (is really special),” Lees said.
“He’s been emotional all day and he said to me no matter what happens, just put the ball in the ring.
“I think we did that and I’m just really happy and that’s why I think I’m so emotional, too. It’s just such a special day.”