Numurkah and Nathalia renewed hostilities in a Sunday special as the Murray Football League completed the second half of round four at the weekend.
There was plenty of cause for a fierce contest besides the usual on-field rivalry, with a bigger crowd on hand at Numurkah Showgrounds for what was designated as a WorkSafe Country Club game in addition to Anzac commemoration on a standalone fixture.
The Purples kicked away early after the festivities subsided, notching seven scoring shots and taking a 15-point lead into the first change.
It seemed as if there would not — or, perhaps, could not — be a clear break away or ascendancy all afternoon as the slimmest of margins separated the two teams at the main break.
Two rapid Nathalia snags pushed the margin into double digits for the first time in almost 40 minutes of play late in a third term that had plenty of passion, including more than one skirmish on the boundary line.
The Blues clawed back in front nine minutes into the final term before Kai Lundberg restored Nathalia’s meagre advantage with a crafty snap and Andrew Jones went around the corner moments later.
In the end, a game in which the margin never exceeded 15 points went the way of the Purples, 9.7 (61) to 7.7 (49).
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Bring the house down: Numurkah’s Braydon Sutton. Photo by Holly DanielImage 2 of 10
Down and dirty: Numurkah's Will Newman. Photo by Holly DanielImage 3 of 10
Aerial contest: Nathalia’s Ryan Butler. Photo by Holly DanielImage 4 of 10
Going nowhere: Numurkah’s Kade O’Dwyer and Nathalia’s Malcolm Barnes. Photo by Holly DanielImage 5 of 10
Powering up: Nathalia’s Andrew Jones. Photo by Holly DanielImage 6 of 10
Busy afternoon: Plenty of observers at Numurkah Showgrounds. Photo by Holly DanielImage 7 of 10
Stuck the tackle: Nathalia’s Malcolm Barnes and Numurkah’s Zach McKeown. Photo by Holly DanielImage 8 of 10
To the ground floor: Nathalia’s Malcolm Barnes and Numurkah’s Jordan O’Dwyer. Photo by Holly DanielImage 9 of 10
Quick hands: Numurkah’s Patrick Riordan. Photo by Holly DanielImage 10 of 10
Mark within range: Nathalia’s Clancy Congues. Photo by Holly DanielNumurkah falls to ninth with one win from its first four matches despite a percentage verging on an even 100, while the Purples’ third victory has placed them in third spot ahead of a monster meeting with Congupna this weekend.
A pair of Saturday affairs had defending premier Mulwala return to form in style, dispatching Deniliquin by 50 points in what looked like a game that had the potential to be a tight one.
It had all the markings early with a goal between the two sides at the first break, but the Lions made their second and final terms count in establishing a significant buffer.
Mulwala overcame a spirited effort from Deniliquin native and former AFL Tiger and Bulldog Sam Lloyd, who kicked four for the Rams.
Four from Sean Robinson and three from Will Gorman eventually had the Lions strolling over the line 15.7 (97) to 6.11 (47).
Coach Bodhi Butts called it the most complete effort this year from his side.
“We just played four quarters of footy, which is the main thing,” Butts said.
“That’s the main thing we’ve lacked over the last month; we’ve dished up a half of good football at best, but this was the first four-quarter effort.
“We probably didn’t expect that score with the footy we’ve had, but we made the most in front of goals, which was the polar opposite to the Finley game.
“The way we went about it on Saturday is our standard, so we won’t change that next week against Echuca United.
“We have to grind it out for four quarters and we’ve got to get another four points against United before we look beyond.”
In the other Saturday meeting, Tongala had to rally after winless Barooga came out with intent early on.
In a free-flowing third term there was 10 goals between the two sides after three points separated them at half-time, with Tongala gaining enough breathing room to come away with its third win, 13.6 (84) to 10.11 (71).