Gallery | Rumbalara, Numurkah and Congupna the big winners from gripping Murray Football League round 11

Numurkah hosted Tongala on Saturday afternoon at Numurkah Showgrounds for round 11.

The two sides sat close to each other on the ladder heading into the contest but Numurkah was eager to show that it was a level above.

The Blues kept Tonny to one goal and eight behinds in the first half as Numurkah grounded and pounded its opponents to ash.

Numurkah then booted four goals in the third and fourth quarters to extend its lead and punish a wayward Tongala.

At the final siren, the hosts had won 13.13 (91) to 6.15 (51).

The Blues sit in sixth spot on the ladder with percentage separating them from Deniliquin and Rumbalara who are seventh and eighth, respectively.

O’Dwyer said heading into the match he knew the game was going to be won through non-stop contested and grunt work in the guts.

“We put it on our midfield heading into the game because Tongala are a really strong clearance side and scoring off stoppage,” O’Dwyer said.

“I thought our midfield was able to really get on top and give us a lot of looks inside 50. We had a lot of inside 50s but probably didn’t convert as much as we would have liked.

“I think the game was won in that midfield battle with Jamason Daniels, Kade O’Dwyer and Harry Hopkins really got on top, which was pleasing.”

After starting the season with a record of 1-6, Numurkah has come thundering back to life in recent weeks.

O’Dwyer said the return of players from injury and some stars hitting their straps has been the catalyst for the Blues' resurgence.

“The first seven or eight games we had been really struck by injuries,” he said.

“It has been hard to get that consistent best side available and injury-free; this week we were able to have our best available bar a couple.

“Jarrod Holmes didn’t play yesterday but he has probably played three of the best weeks of footy that I have seen him play.

“Ben Smyth is Darwin based for us - he is a local boy - so he is only playing 10 or so games, but when he plays he makes us look like a better side.

“Harry Hopkins is a young kid, 17-year-old, in the Bushies' program and for a 17-year-old kid he plays like a man. You can play him forward, midfield, back he has been super impressive.”

With seven rounds remaining and a grasp on the top six, O’Dwyer said Numurkah’s fixture against Deniliquin Rams next weekend will be pivotal.

“I’d be very disappointed if we didn’t play finals,” he said.

“We think if we can have everyone back on the park in the back end of the year, I was pretty confident we could have a good run at it.

“Deniliquin is an eight-point game this week. We are even on points so if we win we go ahead and our 15-20 per cent better percentage is essentially an extra game.

"It is a must-win game this week.”

Rumbalara is pushing to make finals with one of the lowest possible percentages.

Teed up against Finley, Rumbalara cruised to a 46-point win at home.

The hosts were led to their dominant victory thanks to the forward craft of Levy Tejones and Michael Mummery who booted six and five goals, respectively.

Rumba now sits in eighth with a record of 5-6 and remains only percentage (currently 69.77) outside of the top six.

Congupna continued to prove that it is in a class of its own in 2025, defeating second-placed Moama by 91 points.

Mercurial forward Kyle Mueller was up to his usual antics booting five goals, while The Road had six multiple goal kickers for the day.

Mulwala outlasted Nathalia in a tight game at Lonsdale Oval.

The Lions won the match by 14 points.

Star Nathalia forward Liam Evans pushed his goal tally up to 58 for the season with a haul of four.

Meanwhile, Cobram defeated Deniliquin Rams by 24 points and Echuca United beat Barooga by 20.