Travelling to Numurkah Recreation Reserve on Saturday, the Lions lined up against the sixth-placed Blues and promptly dispatched them, claiming a 53-38 victory in a formidable showing as finals draw ever closer.
The win makes it six wins from the past seven games for the Lions, who now sit comfortably in third spot on the ladder with an 11-3 record, two of those blemishes coming against the runaway top two in Rumbalara and Nathalia.
With a two-game gap to fourth-placed Deniliquin, Mulwala has put itself in prime position to sew up third spot with four games remaining in the home and away season, with only one of those remaining fixtures against a fellow top six side, with the Lions set to face unbeaten Rumbalara this weekend.
The loss leaves Numurkah smack bang in the middle of a scrap for sixth spot, however, with the Blues now level on points with 2024 grand finalist Moama in fifth, both with a 7-6-1 record, while Tongala has closed to within half-a-game in seventh following a solid win at the weekend.
Taking on an in-form Echuca United (5-8-1) that entered round 14 with three straight wins under its belt, the Blues scrapped out a 45-40 victory at Tongala Recreation Reserve, simultaneously hauling themselves back into the finals fight, while also putting some breathing space between themselves in seventh and the Eagles in eighth.
Moama heads the group contending for the last few finals spots, but did itself no favours with a third straight loss at the weekend, this time at the hands of a ruthless Nathalia.
Tracey Brereton’s troops have been in fine form of late and it was no different on Saturday, as the Purples clinched a dominant 44-27 victory at Moama Recreation Reserve, keeping the pressure on ladder leader Rumbalara as the business end of the season approaches.
However, Rumba show no sign of slowing down, notching win number 14 from as many games with yet another flawless performance against Congupna.
The Road proved no match even with the home court advantage at Memorial Park, succumbing 44-72 as Rumbalara’s perfect season continues to roll ahead.
Elsewhere, fourth-placed Deniliquin (9-5) avoided an embarrassing slip-up against 10th-placed Barooga (2-12), claiming a narrow 36-32 victory at Hardinge St to return to the winners’ column for the first time in three weeks, while Cobram (2-12) prevailed by three goals over Finley (1-13) in the battle at the bottom, clinching a 40-37 victory at Scott Reserve.
