Sport
Echuca United forward inches closer to triple-figure total following incredible 25-goal haul
When word of how many goals James Harney booted on Saturday began being whispered around the region nobody could quite believe it.
In a remarkable individual effort the Echuca United full-forward kicked a staggering 25 goals against Rumbalara at the weekend to put himself within touching distance of the 100-goal barrier.
Going into the game on 66 goals Harney sat third in Murray Football League for goals kicked, however, his scarcely believable bag has rocketed him to the top of the standings with 91.
“In the first quarter I took five or 10 minutes to get the first one and then I had seven at quarter-time,” Harney said following the game.
“I thought, ‘I don’t know what will happen here, I might get a few’. (I had) 11 by half-time and then a few of the boys were just trying to feed it to me as much as they could.
“It was quite a surreal sort of feeling, but it was pretty cool.”
With double digits raised by half-time, Harney said that as the number continued to rise those around him were buying into the incredible achievement as well.
“I was keeping track a little bit and the young waterboy was checking on me every goal,” he said.
“He’s coming in and keeping count of it and the goal umpires were talking to me a bit as well. I just kept rolling.
“The Rumba boys were battling pretty hard to try and get an extra man and just try to disrupt it all as much as possible.
“My teammates were pretty good at just trying to keep feeding it into the space. It was all round a pretty good effort by all the boys, really.”
Harney’s coach Farran Priest said there were no easy goals within the 25, with Harney often having to beat two or three opponents to the ball.
“It’s just being predictable to your teammates,” Harney said of being able to beat multiple opponents.
“They weren’t just blazing it away and bombing to three blokes, it’s more trying to be smart moving the football up the ground, switch it through the middle and it comes in on the fat side.
“You just try to get a few metres of space on the direct opponent and then the spare man is out of position by a few metres.
“Your teammates being predictable and turning and going nice and fast as well, fast ball movement makes it easier.”
With two games remaining for Harney and Echuca United, the magical 100 is well and truly in play ― something the spearhead can hardly believe.
“I never really thought I’d ever be in this sort of position,” he said.
“I had 60-odd before the game and even thinking with a 10 or 15-goal haul, it (100 goals) would still be out of reach, but 25 has opened it a little bit.
“We face Deniliquin and Cobram, they’re two good sides, so it’ll be hard work, but you never know.”
The last player to kick more than 100 goals in a season in the MFL was Josh Mellington in 2019 when he booted 125 majors for Echuca United.