Like Mariah Carey once said, ‘All I want for Christmas is a key forward that crashes packs’.
All right, that’s a slight misquote, but if the Queen of Christmas was raised in the Goulburn Valley those could have been the lyrics if she grew up as a Shepparton Swans supporter.
This period of the year is a special time for everyone who celebrates Christmas and the joy it brings.
The holiday is also particularly useful for discovering what your heart truly desires.
So as the Goulburn Valley League’s club presidents, coaches and captains go to sleep on December 24, what will they be dreaming for Saint Nick to bring to their football club in 2025?
Will a workhorse defender be waiting for them under the tree, or perhaps a goal-kicking midfielder wrapped up in a bow?
Here at The News we analysed each Goulburn Valley League club and gave our suggestions for what will be at the top of each team’s wishlist heading into 2025.
Benalla
Christmas wish: Young guns seize control
After earning the wooden spoon in 2023, Benalla showed signs of development across 2024.
The season started rough for the Saints, going 0-7-1 across the first eight rounds.
However, a win against then-hopeful finalists Shepparton Swans allowed the Benalla boys to belt out their song for the first time in 10 months.
Jarrad Waite and his men would continue to grow as the season wore on and finished the year in 10th place with a record of 4-13-1.
Although the Saints showed growth, the majority of work was left to the usual handful each week, with the likes of Mark Marriott, Chris Welsh and James Martiniello left to do the heavy lifting.
If the Saints are to continue their rise up the ladder in 2025, they will need the next generation of players to step up and drag this club back to the glory days.
Echuca
Christmas wish: A-grade revenge
What do you get the club that has everything?
A three-peat in senior football, two flags in three seasons at reserve level and five straight premierships in the under-18 competition — Echuca is arguably the powerhouse of country football in Victoria.
Add that in with the region’s next star junior in Carlton father-son and Richmond NGA Academy member Cody Walker and the Murray Bombers are well poised to retain their title as top dog in 2025.
This means bizarrely, the room for improvement for Echuca is through its A-grade netball.
Despite an A-grade flag in 2023 and a grand final appearance in 2024, the A-grade side is the (tongue-in-cheek) lacking area of Echuca.
An A-grade flag in 2025 should round out the Murray Bombers as the most complete, dominant club in the state, shouldn’t it?
Euroa
Christmas wish: Forward depth
After claiming grand final revenge against Echuca in the A-grade grand final, Euroa heads into the 2025 season flying in the netball department.
So what will the Magpies be wishing Santa delivers them for next season?
Nate and Jett Trotter have recommitted, while young gun and Murray Bushranger Cohen Paul will don the black and white again next year.
Despite being good enough to make finals in 2024, Euroa will be looking to become more potent in attack next season.
The Magpies ranked ninth in the league for scoring and will need to find some forwards to help Jett in attack.
Trotter led the club in goals, goal assists and goal involvements.
Hopefully under the Christmas tree lays a big bustling key forward, or perhaps a Gryan Miers-esque assist merchant.
Kyabram
Christmas wish: To rejoin the contenders in 2025
Kyabram has completed its senior football Christmas shopping early after going on a spending spree throughout October-November.
A tight elimination final loss to Mooroopna meant Kyabram had a decent 2024, but a club such as the Bombers would have been hoping for more.
Kyabram has signed Tom Holman, Jack Russell, Coby McCarthy, Zac Cerrone and Billy McLay among others this off-season.
These signatures indicate the Bombers are eager to return to the top of the ladder in 2025.
Echuca has taken over as top dog of the Goulburn Valley League, but if Kyabram gets its Christmas wish the Bombers will be back around the mark come the end of September.
Mansfield
Christmas wish: Hold on to talent
The Eagles were a team capable of dynamic wins and capitulation in 2024.
After sitting at 6-3, Mansfield fell apart during the second half of the season thanks to its stars jetting off to Europe, finding regular game time in the VFL and of course injuries.
At their best, the Eagles were a scintillating side that had a highest score of 173 against Benalla, while in the midst of their poor run of form, they would lose to the Saints a few rounds later.
Young gun Harry Mahoney will likely be playing for Collingwood’s VFL side for the majority of 2025, but Mansfield has picked up some more talent to strengthen its side.
Mahoney’s brother Max is fresh off a best-and-fairest winning season with the Murray Bushrangers in the Coates Talent League and will be a welcome consistent addition to the Eagles’ midfield-wing.
Recruit and former Collingwood player and Box Hill best-and-fairest winner Callum Brown will likely push his case to be one of the best players in the league next season.
Favourite son Nick Gray is returning home after stints playing for Collingwood’s VFL side and Blackburn in the Essendon Football Netball League.
The question is, can the Eagles retain this talent (Christmas presents) for the entire season and push on to finals in 2025?
Mooroopna
Christmas wish: That elusive A-grade flag
The Cats have been close but no cigar for the past two seasons.
Second place and a preliminary final loss to Euroa in 2023.
An exact replica in 2024.
Gun coach Di Hanslow has signed on for another two seasons as she and Mooroopna desperately hunt for that elusive piece of silverware.
Despite losing star centre Mia Fallon this off-season, the Cats still have plenty of star power and physicality to get them through.
What Hanslow and the likes of Ash Lancaster and Dayna Williams need to figure out is, what is that final piece of the A-grade premiership puzzle?
Are they waiting for Father Christmas to deliver it? Or is it already at the Cattery?
Rochester
Christmas wish: Finals netball
For the past three seasons, Rochester has found itself on the precipice of A-grade finals netball.
In 2022, the Tigers came eighth.
In 2023, they came seventh.
In 2024, they came ninth.
Always around the mark without cementing their place as a genuine threat in the Goulburn Valley League.
Rochester coaches Rachel Whipp and Linda Rasmussen will be hoping to find some new toys on Christmas morning that can help them lead the Tigers into September action next season.
Seymour
Christmas wish: Return to 2023 level
After finishing in second spot on the ladder at the end of the senior football home-and-away season in 2023, Seymour crashed out in straight sets.
In 2024, the woes continued as a massive slate of injuries took their toll on the Lions throughout the early-midpoint of the season — effectively ruling them out of contention.
However, heading into next season, the ominous rumble of drums in the jungle is starting to beat loudly.
Star forward Riley Mason has been scooped up by Collingwood's VFL side, but if he can still feature for Seymour next season, the Lions could be ready to roar alongside the contenders once again in 2025.
Coach Ben Davey will be praying that Father Christmas delivers him a clean bill of health for next season.
Shepparton
Christmas wish: Some tall timber at Deakin Reserve
A dominant senior football home and away season record of 17-1.
Up by one point with five minutes to go in the qualifying final against Echuca.
A home grand final at Deakin Reserve.
Shepparton’s run to its first premiership since 2018 nearly went off without a hitch, the only thing that stood in the Bears’ way was a Murray Bombers juggernaut.
As Shepparton co-coaches Xavier Stevenson and Ted Lindon sit underneath their Christmas trees on December 25, the pair will be hoping some key position talent — from either end of the ground — will be wrapped up with a maroon and gold ribbon.
Aside from that, a slice of grand final revenge in 2025 as Christmas dessert would finish the day off nicely.
Shepparton Swans
Christmas wish: To turn tight losses into wins
After three losses by three points in the first six rounds for the Shepparton Swans, coach Jedd Wright’s heart was ready to break.
Swans lost by an average of five points across six of the first nine matches.
The boys from Princess Park were able to match it with some of the best in the Goulburn Valley League for 99 per cent of a game.
Wright and the Rachele brothers will be hoping that the one per cent that was missing in 2024, will be brought down the chimney by an elf at Christmas.
That and a bustling key forward that can partner with Matt Perry and boost the Swans into September.
Shepparton United
Christmas wish: Premiership glory
Shepparton United came within a whisker of dethroning Echuca in the Northern Country Women’s League in 2024.
The Demons toiled away hard with defender-president Bec Monk, star on-baller Melissa Foster and young gun Molly Kennedy leading the way.
In 2025, Echuca will be hunting a third consecutive senior women’s premiership, with United the favourites to stop the Murray Bombers.
With the Demons’ senior men’s football and A-grade netball sides still looking to build their way back to the top, it’s time for the women’s football side to own the spotlight.
Can the Demons get their Christmas wish and spoil the Murray Bombers’ three-peat party?
Tatura
Christmas wish: Take the next step and some luck on the injury front
Tatura Football Netball Club can be forgiven for having two Christmas wishes this year.
Over the past couple of seasons, Tatura has been on the edge of being one of the top sides in A-grade.
After finishing second last in 2022 the Bulldogs have shot up the ladder across the past two seasons finishing fourth in 2023 and 2024.
With a strong, talented and young squad, Tatura needs to make the most of their opportunities in 2025.
Star and co-coach Elsie Boyer will be pleading with Father Christmas for some success in the red, white and blue.
On the football front, the 2024 season was a disaster that was mostly out of the control of the club.
After a stirring round one win over last year’s finalists Seymour, the Bulldogs slumped to 17 straight losses as a horror run of injuries occurred.
For Christmas this year, Tatura’s football department will make its wish simple: keep our boys healthy and on the park.