Gallery | Rumbalara negates Nathalia in Murray league battle

The first half of the split round six saw aspiring finals side Nathalia host Rumbalara at Nathalia Recreation Reserve.

One Nathalian Rumbalara needed to nullify was Purples sharpshooter Liam Evans.

The gun goalslinger had booted 24 majors in his previous three games, including a mammoth haul of 10 the weekend prior.

Saturday's match was a special day for the Purples as the club celebrated favourite son Malcolm Barnes’ 200th senior game for the club.

Barnes was part of Nathalia’s incredible five consecutive flags and coached the club’s last premiership in 2019.

Rumbalara got the fast start it was looking for as the visitors piled on five goals in a blistering opening term.

Evans booted two goals to start the second term and cut the margin back to five points with the score 27-32 early.

However, the visitors bit back and kicked two of their own to push the margin to 17 at the main break (28-45).

The game slowed to a crawl in the third with both sides slogging it out as the scoring dried.

Evans was the sole goal kicker, booting his third a few minutes into the term.

Rumbalara’s Michael Mummery kicked four goals for the match, extending his tally to 23 from six games.

Nathalia shot out of a cannon to start the final quarter and stole the lead by a point five minutes in, but Rumbalara bounded back to extend the margin out to a two-goal buffer.

However, the see-sawed back in the Purples' favour as Evans kicked his fourth and final goal to tie the scores at 60 apiece.

In the 25th minute, winger Jake Zerbato streamed inside 50 for Rumba, collected the ball and snagged a beauty to kick the last goal of the game and secure a six-point 9.6 (60) to 10.6 (66) victory for the visitors.

Rumba co-coach Kane Atkinson said it was great for his side to hold on to the win against quality opposition.

“(The game was) very tough, feeling it in the body today,” Atkinson said.

“We went into the game really respecting Nathalia, they are obviously a really good club who have been really successful over the years.

“Really good to come away with the win, it was a big character builder for us as they tested us late and we held on to win.”

Atkinson said a number of Rumba players stood up when it mattered against the Purples.

“Jake Zerbato is probably one of our smallest players on the ground, but just his toughness and he has been really good the last month; I thought he was great,” he said.

“He has been playing on the wing and running all day, he has had a really good last few games, I thought.

“Both our skippers Ashtyn Atkinson and Kydan Atkinson have both been leading the way in the midfield.

“One of our young guys Elwyn Bush, we have thrown (someone who is) probably not a ruckman - he has never played ruck - but we have found another option and I thought he was great on the weekend (in the ruck) and really gave us some options in the middle."

Atkinson believes a tough pre-season and an organic hunger for success has driven Rumba’s rise in 2025.

Around the grounds in the split round six, Moama belted Barooga 138-8 at home.

The Magpies’ Khy Stovell kicked a game-high six goals.

Mulwala made light work of Finley, winning the match by 84 points.

The final three games will be played next weekend.