Gallery | No worries for Nathalia as contender cruises to Murray Netball League away victory

Nathalia travelled north to take on Echuca United at Echuca South Recreation Reserve on Saturday afternoon for round seven.

The Eagles were positioned as no easy beats, sitting with a record of 2-3-1, meaning the Purples couldn’t let their concentration lapse on the road.

Off the back of their first defeat of the season (to Rumbalara by three goals), the Purples proved too skilful and cunning against the Eagles as the visitors ran away 16-goal (30-46) victors.

Nathalia co-coach Jacinta Todd said it was good for her charges to find form and hit the court running after coming off the bye.

“Both Tracey (Brereton) and myself were having a bit of a reflection yesterday and we have been saying to the girls every time we have seen them go out on the court they have been putting in exactly what we have been doing at training,” Todd said.

“For them to come away with a close loss to Rumba, with positives from that game, and then to bounce back against Echuca was great.

“We are excited for the rest of the season and what we are really excited for is to have another crack at Rumba."

Nathalia’s defence has become as airtight as a vacuum-sealed bag this season.

Under the stewardship of co-coaches Brereton and Todd, Nathalia’s defenders have produced incredible efforts and results in their danger end.

The Purples only concede on average 30 goals a game — the best in the league.

Todd believes the girls have grown significantly in their defensive prowess under Brereton’s watch.

“Our defensive unit is the same as last year, so I think it is them continuing to develop those connections with each other (that has led to improvement),” she said.

“With Tracey, in particular, who is a strong defensive mindset coach, the girls have really developed defensively under her.

"I think the structures and strategies we have chucked at (the players), they have taken them on board.”

Todd made special note of defender Liv Tilyard’s performance on Saturday.

“We said yesterday (Tilyard) had magnets in her hands with the ball,” she said.

“It was very hard for their attackers to get the ball down, Liv was just intercepting them left, right and centre.

“She was a huge standout and she had the support of Ash Cann and Tegan Sutton behind her as well.”

A-grade premiership rivals Rumbalara motored on with its fine 2025 season.

The reigning premier trounced Mulwala 55-32 on its home court to improve its record to a clean 7-0.

While Nathalia’s defenders are the league’s stingiest, Rumba’s attack is by far the most potent.

Rumbalara averages 59.86 goals a game, more than 12 goals a game better than the next best offence, Nathalia.

The rise of Rumba as a netball juggernaut is largely thanks to the efforts of gun player-coach Jess Bamblett who celebrated her 200th A-grade game at the weekend.

Bamblett is the first Rumba player to reach the 200-game milestone.

In other round seven fixtures, Congupna made light work of Cobram, rolling through as a 31-goal winner.

Numurkah and Moama played out a 45-all draw, Barooga outlasted Finley in a high-scoring affair 49-44 and Tongala pummelled Deniliquin by 27 goals.