Sport

Goulburn Murray juniors suffer loss against “unbelievable” opponent

By Callum Farquhar

Jul 14, 2025

The GMJL and AWJFL under-16 players after their interleague clash.

The Goulburn Murray Junior Football League interleague side has fallen short of its second win of the year following a plucky effort against Albury Wodonga on Sunday.

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Earlier this year, the GMJL representative side trounced the Murray Football League under-16s by 116 points, but the result was not to be against its latest opponent.

Featuring many familiar faces, but also some fresh selections, the interleague team hosted AWJFL’s side at Benalla Showgrounds.

GMJL trailed at the long break 2.2 (14) to 6.5 (41), but both sides clicked further into an attacking rhythm in the second half.

Goulburn Murray interleague coach Nic Fichera said making positional changes provided better connection heading inside the forward arc after half-time.

“We threw a few magnets around just to get some kids more involved the game,” Fichera said.

“Once we did that we saw more connection between our mids and our forwards.”

The boys in purple and gold turned up a notch in the third and fourth term, scoring six majors, but AWJFL was able to match the improved intensity, kicking a further eight.

By the final siren, AWJFL had pulled off a comfortable victory, defeating GMJL by 41 points, 8.4 (52) to 14.9 (93), but Fichera said the scoreboard was not reflective of the actual competitive contest.

“We should’ve been only two goals down heading into the final term if we’d kicked straight, but we won the third quarter still,” Fichera said.

“The scoreboard says different in the end, but we’re better than what we showed.

“But that’s with no discredit to the north-east team (AWJFL), they’re an unbelievable side.”

The GMJL was held to 12 scoring shots after recording 34 in its blitz of the Murray juniors in June, highlighting AWJFL’s impressive defensive efforts.

However, Fichera leapt to praise forwards Echuca’s Mac Ryan and Tatura’s Anton Basile for their efforts forward of centre, while he also lauded Kyabram’s Mitch Wilson and Bulldog Rory Hearn in the midfield.

Shepparton United’s Addison Godsmark and Tatura’s Patrick McCarthy were GMJL’s best defenders on Sunday.

Despite the loss, Fichera said there was a collective effort by the 22 GMJL representatives.

“They’re all coachable, they’re all great kids,” Fichera said.

“Every single one of them were asking for feedback.

“When we picked the squad we didn’t want any egos and we feel we achieved that, everybody wanted to play team footy.

“There were no passengers on Sunday.”

The GMJL season will return to action next week with five rounds still to play.

Shepparton Notre and Seymour sit atop the division one and division two ladders respectively, both boasting undefeated records after five weeks of action.