After a rocky first quarter on Saturday that saw Shepparton Swans go into the first break with a nine-point lead, Echuca rebounded effectively to post a dominant victory.
Key to the huge scoreline was a 67-point explosion in the fourth quarter, the Murray Bombers blowing the Swans off the park in the final term.
As highlighted last week, Echuca earns a higher proportion of its points from stoppages, as opposed to turnovers, than the rest of the league, and this was never more evident than in the last term at Princess Park.
The minor premiers kicked an astounding eight of its 11 goals in the term from stoppages; four from throw-ins, three from centre bounces and one from a ball-up.
By contrast, the Swans managed to earn only two goals from stoppages in the entire game.
Also of note in Echuca’s huge term was its laser-like precision in moving the ball.
Disposing at a respectable 74 per cent clip over the course of the game, the Murray Bombers seriously upped their accuracy in the final quarter, with 84 per cent of disposals finding the mark.
An impressive 40 of 45 handballs (88 per cent) and 87 of 104 kicks (84 per cent) successfully found a teammate for Echuca, while the Swans were down at a 63 per cent overall efficiency and a wayward 55 per cent kicking accuracy.
Echuca also dominated the clearance game in the fourth, not just in quantity — where they led 14-8 — but in quality, with 13 of 14 won clearances being effective.
For the Swans, just four of their eight clearances were effective.
In the face of such precision, the Swans were unable to escape defensive 50, as the Murray Bombers sent it into their attacking zone 18 times in the quarter.
While the two sides’ turnover numbers were even (11-each), their location told the tale, with Swans turning the footy over 10 times in the midfield and once in its back 50.
Echuca was much better at keeping the ball in the middle of the park, turning it over five times, and was making more enterprising mistakes in a position it could afford to, losing possession six times within forward 50.
Echuca’s fourth quarter against Shepparton Swans
Goals from stoppage: 8
Disposal efficiency: 84%
Effective clearances: 93%
Inside-50s: 18