Tongala has started its defence of the Campaspe Playing Area division one premiership with a six-shot loss to Rich River in the opening round of the season.
Tongala, which beat Echuca by one shot to win the 2021-22 grand final, lost 2-14 (51-57) after the return of Rich River star Stan Barker and Peter Nesbitt’s dominant display allowed the visiting team victory.
Barker, who sat out most of last season, returned to beat Greg Lyon by four shots.
Nesbitt was in great form late last season and produced a similar start with an 11-shot win against Steve Hammond, stepping up to skipping duties as his son (Jack) is in the Northern Territory playing football for the summer.
Tongala had a new look to its rinks as a result of Hammond’s absence, with Peter Tinning leading the way for Hammond. The Tinning family last season made up a full rink, led by skip Brad, but this year were spread across all three Tongala rinks.
Brad Tinning, with Geoff Tinning as lead and Barry Tinning as third, won his match with Jason McCloy by nine shots and was the only Tongala winner on the afternoon.
Tongala has an appointment with Mathoura this week, again on its home rink, while Rochester makes its return to competition against Deniliquin.
In the other match Rich River and Echuca play, with Moama Steamers having the bye.
Echuca lost to Mathoura by 23 shots in their match, the New South Wales team winning all three rinks. In the remaining match Moama was an 18-shot winner against Deniliquin.