Kyabram too good - again

The contest was as bruising as they come - and even spilled over into a mini-melee which had the home side's Daniel Willis yellow-carded - but when the siren sounded for quarter-time all the Murray Bombers had to show for it was a one-point advantage.

It was never going to be enough.

Echuca did manage to control the early momentum in the second term as well, but could not convert its opportunities into goals, and when Kyabram eventually found its first inside 50 for the term it resulted in an immediate major.

The Bombers piled six more goals on for the stanza without missing, and the 37-point lead they held at half-time proved to be plenty of breathing space to secure a 41-point win when the dust settled.

"The start of the game was really hot, they were fantastic early and probably just squandered a couple of opportunities to really put some scoreboard pressure on," Kyabram co-coach Paul Newman said.

"We spoke about being in that position before last year with Shepp in a final here, so it's been a really good test for us here today and I think we take a lot from it.

"We know we've got a few things we need to work on, so it was pleasing how we were able to gain ascendancy through the second and the third quarters and put the game away.

"It was a good game, I reckon it would have been a good spectacle for everyone too, but I was just really pleased with our guys how we were able to maintain that pressure around the ball and the tackling and that sort of stuff across the course of the game.

"It's really pleasing to get out of here with a win."

Tom Holman was the star of the show for the Bombers, standing tall down back after Jason Morgan left the field with a hamstring injury in the first quarter.

Brad Mangan (four goals), Kyle Mueller (three), Hayden Gemmill (two), Kayne Pettifer (two) and Josh Dillon (two) all worked well in attack together, while Nick Coulstock, Axel Childs and Mick Mattingly impressed through the middle of the ground.

"With Jase going down we had to throw Tommy Holman back there, and obviously with Joshy Vick not being there today also it was pleasing swinging different guys back there and doing a fantastic job," Newman said.

"Tom Holman was unbelievable back there and Tommy Sheldon did a great job, so we think we're pretty flexible and we've got a few options to play at either end which is good.

"He (Dillon) was unreal today, that was the sort of form he was in particularly earlier on in the year, he's probably had a few quieter games over the last three or four, but it's good to see him back in form today, he's had a great year and has really come ahead in leaps and bounds.

"Gemm's a superstar, no-one's just really seen enough of him. He's had a horrendous run with injury, but if we can keep him out on the park we are a much better football side, it's just about recovery for him now and getting him through the remaining games."

As well as Morgan's hamstring, Kyabram had to deal with plenty of sore bodies late in the game and finished with just 15 players on the field as the cotton wool came out in the final few minutes.

"Off the six-day break we had a number of guys who were really sore after the Rochy game, so it was just more precautionary just to get them out of the game," Newman said.

"We've had a few hammies and whatnot over the last month or so, so we're just trying to snuff any of that out and just get blokes off the ground if they don't need to be out there."

Peter Faulks, Elliot Stewart, Cam Valentine, Andrew Walker and Kane Morris battled hard for the Murray Bombers throughout the clash.

THE GAME

Kyabram 1.2, 8.2, 12.5, 14.6 (90)

Echuca 1.3, 1.7, 2.9, 6.13 (49)

Goals

Kyabram: Brad Mangan 4, Kyle Mueller 3, Hayden Gemmill, Kayne Pettifer, Josh Dillon 2, Aaron Hayes.

Echuca: Darby Henderson 2, Sam Willoughby, Nick Sheldon, Elliot Stewart, Noah Wheeler.

Tyler Maher's best

Kyabram: Tom Holman, Axel Childs, Josh Dillon, Mick Mattingly, Brad Mangan, Nick Coulstock.

Echuca: Peter Faulks, Elliot Stewart, Andrew Walker, Luke McKenna, Kane Morris, Cam Valentine.