While a bulk of changes will create a new-look roster, star Demons that lifted it to a premiership in 2025 remain, as Shepparton United look to be the team to beat in 2026.
“We’re shaping up well,” Shepparton United coach Grant Searle said.
“We’ve had a number of changes to the side and we’ve had some of our youth girls step up, so it is a new look side... but we have the same ambition.”
The Demon lost just one match last season, that being to Echuca - however the minor premier-winning Murray Bombers won’t field a team this season.
Instead, across the river, Moama will offer a place to play for senior women’s football in that region, as the youth girls premiers instate a seniors pathway following Echuca’s demise.
Moama has recruited plenty of the stranded Echuca women’s side, with Searle anticipating the Mowers to be a threat to the crown in 2026.
“They’ve recruited quite well by the sounds of things, most of the Echuca girls,” he said.
“But they are coming into the league as a new team so they still may need to find their footing at first.”
Likewise in Shepparton, Princess Park tenants Shepp Swans will field a senior side in 2026, creating a fluent pathway for its youth girls program that played last season.
Additionally, Cobram has had essentially a full takeover of Barooga’s youth girls and women’s program after the Hawks were booted from competing in the league due to its men’s switch to the unaligned Picola District League.
The Tigers will field both a junior and senior side, while youth girls team Echuca United will not return to the competition in any capacity in 2026.
Nathalia returns with both a girls and women’s program, while Tatura, Mansfield, and Rumbalara are set to make an impact with the Sherrin again also.
In the first round of GMWGL, Mansfield host Tatura on Friday night to kick off the women’s proceedings, with Rumbalara to take on Nathalia, Cobram to face Moama and a Shepparton cross-town derby to take place between United and the Swans.
Youth girls games between Cobram and Moama, and Shepparton United and Shepparton Swans, will be curtain raisers for the women’s clashes.
