It’s a relevant repetition not just because this Echuca side is one worth remembering, but because that’s how the McMahon Shield list of premiers reads if you look back over the past four seasons.
Yet another A-grade grand final weekend has passed, and once again Echuca’s XI has proved itself the best in a challenging competition.
Rochester was the grand final opposition on this occasion, the fifth different side to face the champions in the past five grand finals.
It followed on from Moama last year, Nondies-Cohuna in 2022-23, Bamawm-Lockington United in 2021-22, and Kyabram Fire Brigade, which defeated a then rising Echuca side in the 2020-21 decider.
Echuca made 8-297 on day one, going on to bowl out Rochester for 196 on day two.
“I think this one probably resonates a little bit differently,” Echuca captain Simon Maddox said.
“I thought last year we had a lot of talent (but) I thought this year we were the best team and that's how we won it.
“We won it as a team, with everyone playing their role.
“We had a lot of contributors.”
That sentiment was embodied in the decider, the balance of the champion team’s batting and bowling on full display.
Each of Echuca’s top six made useful scores, ranging from semi-final centurion Aidan Young with 17, up to best-on-ground winner James Grixti with 77.
Kobyn James (60) and Anthony Dennis (63) also made half-centuries.
Young made his mark with ball in hand, taking 4-32, and Maddox added 3-36 while Nathan Elliott and Charlie Hinks also took wickets.
“We talk a lot about playing your role for the team,” Maddox said.
“One week it might be you, one week it might be someone else.
“Cricket’s a funny game, you get one bad ball and you’re watching for the rest of the day so we just talk about playing your role and having confidence that whatever situation we’re in, we’ve got full confidence in our teammates to get the job done.”
Unlike recent seasons, Echuca didn’t go into the finals series as the minor premier, Rochester earning that honour with 120 competition points to Echuca’s 108.
Maddox acknowledged Rochester and his own squad as the two best sides all year in his post-game address.
He said his boys were always wary of a Rochy fightback as their opposition began to build several useful partnerships throughout their innings.
“(We) stick to the process (and) be patient,” he said.
“They might get one boundary, they might get two boundaries, they might get three, but one will come to hand as long as we’re making them hit the ball where we’ve got fielders.
“The boys did (that), they stuck to the plan and we were patient and weight of runs probably won.
“If Rochy were batting first, they would have posted a pretty big total themselves, so it’s just that we had that score on the board in the back of their minds the whole time.
“They had to continue to be aggressive, they had to continue to make runs and to our credit we put down a couple of relatively easy chances, but other than that we fielded pretty well.”
To compare this side to the greats of the league’s past still seems a little premature as long as Echuca remains the defending premier.
When, or if, the day comes that the shield doesn’t make its way to Victoria Park, perhaps that will be the time to truly take stock of what this dynasty has accomplished.
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