NCWL grand final: A dominant force, Echuca is hunting the final piece of the puzzle

By Josh Huntly

Jul 21, 2023

On the move: Paige Baksh runs down the Victoria Park wing with ball in hand.

Echuca is ready.

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All roads lead to Deakin Reserve for the first bounce of the senior women’s grand final at 2.30pm this Sunday, July 23, the third consecutive year the Murray Bombers and Nathalia have faced off in the Northern Country Women’s League decider.

Losing just three games in four years, the Murray Bombers haven’t quite seen that success converted into premiership success, but there’s a different feeling around the club this season, according to skipper Jacquelyn James.

Fresh off winning the league best-and-fairest on Monday night, James is confident the Murray Bombers can erase four years of grand final heartbreak and burst through for their first senior flag since their inception back in 2017.

“I think it’s a different feeling (to other years),” James said after her Chris Thomas Medal triumph on Monday.

“There’s definitely the belief there that we can do it. If we stick to our processes and stick to our structures and things like that it’s definitely achievable. As long as we play our game and not get sucked into everything else.”

Echuca has once again dominated ahead of the NCWL decider, winning every game so far and taking out the minor premiership with an average winning margin of 66 points.

Unsurprisingly, the engine room on either side will be pivotal in winning the game.

For Echuca, James shapes as one of the game-busting midfielders alongside Remy Day and leading goal-kicker Paige Baksh (28 for the season), who placed second in the league best-and-fairest. Jodie Lake will be a prominent force down forward for the Murray Bombers.

For the Purples, Kiara Cooper has also been a reliable presence in attack with 22 goals, placing in the top 10 of the NCWL senior vote count on Monday night.

Skipper Caitlyn Price, Courtney Ladgrove, and 2022 league medal winner Abby Favaro shape as influential figures in the Purples’ push for a three-peat after 32 and nine-point wins in 2019 and 2021.

Looking ahead: Sophie Douglas gets a kick away at Echuca’s final training session. Photos: Josh Huntly

Echuca has beaten the Purples on all three occasions they have played this year, the most recent of which was a 78-point win in round 12, but Nathalia has come closest to knocking off the Murray Bombers. The final margin was just 13 points in round two.

Nathalia has defied the odds before, and a 31-point victory over second-placed Shepparton United in the preliminary final will provide a welcome injection of belief that Price’s side can instigate another mammoth upset.

“They’re strong-hitting girls and go in for the contest really hard and we know we need to be prepared for that,” James said.

“We know they’ve got really strong skill levels and can move the ball around quickly. We need to make sure we’re doing our things to counter that shut them down too.”