If you have been anywhere near McEwen Reserve this week, you will have felt the buzz coming from the hockey arena.
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Hundreds of players, coaches, officials, spectators and volunteers have converged upon the pitches for the Australian Country Championships and the action between the goals has been superb already.
In the men's competition, NSW and Queensland have emerged as the forces to be reckoned with, having each won their first three games of the championship.
Australian Defence Force, Victoria and Western Australia have all won one match, while South Australia is yet to get off the mark with two rounds of qualifying action remaining.
The host state includes familiar faces in Shepparton Strikers' Xavier McBain and Echuca products Jayden Gulson and James Thomson - with Gulson's father Michael coaching the side - and kept their finals hopes alive ahead of yesterday's rest day with a 4-0 win against ADF on Monday.
McBain has two goals for the tournament, scoring in Victoria's opening two matches.
The outfit faces WA at 3.15pm today and SA at 11.45am tomorrow.
In the women's competition, QLD leads the way on three wins, followed by NSW on two.
ADF and Victorian have a win and a draw apiece, with SA and WA snaring a draw each to round out the progressive table.
Victoria was the team that managed to knock over fierce rivals NSW in a 3-1 triumph on Monday, putting it in a great position to vie for a spot in the gold medal game.
Echuca's Jorgie Wright is among the side, which drew 1-1 against the ADF on Sunday.
News photographer Rodney Braithwaite was in attendance at that fixture to capture some of the action.
The Victorian women face SA today at 1.30pm and WA tomorrow at the same time to finish off qualifying play.
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