For the second time this season, Mulwala has fallen to the Purples, its only two losses on the year being to the now ladder-leading side.
Both times, Nathalia has been clinical in its defeat of the Lions, but as September nears, Saturday’s clash was proof the Purples should be premiership favourites.
Halfway through the first term though, it appeared the Lions were willing to fight to claw a notorious away victory.
Neck-and-neck two-thirds of the way through the first period, Stephanie Hammond put the Lions a goal ahead.
It was at that moment the Purples had had enough of playing a close encounter.
Jane Cook scored eight of the game’s next nine goals to establish a six-goal buffer across the next three minutes, and at quarter-time Nathalia’s position was up seven.
The Purples had no thought of slowing down either, ramping up the scoring again in the second quarter to take a lead as big as 15 goals, before a late surge from Lions goalers Hammond and Stephanie Ferguson minorly closed the gap to 12 at the main break.
While the Stephanie pairing made headaches here and there for the Purples defenders in the second half, the damage was largely complete as the Lions played catch up netball for the next half an hour of play.
Nathalia led by 13 at three-quarter-time, but found another gear again in the last to record a dominant 18-goal result, 70-52.
The win hands the Purples back the minor premiership favouritism, plus a one-game buffer with percentage ahead of the second-placed Lions after the landslide result.
Around the Murray League’s courts, Congupna was admirable in defeat against fourth-placed Moama, its 10-goal 30-40 defeat a 28-goal turn around from its last encounter with the Mowers, and the Road’s third-lowest losing margin of the season, behind the single-digit defeats it recorded against second-last Finley.
Numurkah quelled Deniliquin by 11 goals, 55-44, in a top six shaping clash, the Rams falling out as Numurkah takes their spot in sixth.
Rumbalara holds fifth firmly after a 28-goal win over Cobram, 55-27, while Tongala made short work of Echuca United in a high-scoring 42-goal win, 81-39.
Finley had the round 15 bye and will return against Rumbalara next week.
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