Gallery | Echuca smacks Shepparton United with first-quarter hell in Goulburn Valley League

Even at home, United remained the firm underdog against the three-time reigning premiers.

And after the first 30 minutes, it was clear why.

The Murray Bombers were at their bombastic best as they piled on nine opening-quarter goals to claim a 13-55 lead at the first break.

Shepparton United toiled hard across the next three quarters and kept the contest even, but the work had been done in a dazzling first term as Echuca coach Simon Maddox and his merry men walked away 11.7 (73) to 16.14 (110) winners.

Echuca star, and possible Benjamin Button case, Sam Reid continued his hot form.

Reid is arguably the top player in the league and on Saturday he not only had the ball on a string, but was at his physical and damaging best finishing with three goals as the clear best-on.

Maddox said his star veteran was rising to the challenge as Echuca looks to fight through its injury toll.

“With the injuries we have at the moment we probably need a few of those older guys to stand up,” Maddox said.

“(Reid), (Cam) Valentine, Mitchy Wales is a young skipper, (Curtis) Townrow and now we have had Liam Tenace back the last couple of weeks and probably Jackson Stewart, even though he is not super old; they have stood up.

“He is probably rising to the challenge of, ‘Yeah we have a few injured blokes, but I’ll pick up the slack boys, jump on my back’.

“He is not alone, definitely there are other guys out there, but I think he is enjoying that challenge.”

Demons co-coach Jesse Cucinotta and Kade Chalcraft battled hard in the guts, while key forward Kaedyn Napier continued his fine form booting four goals, making it 10 in total across his past two matches.

Napier did leave the ground late in the third term with a lower leg injury, but he returned to the field.

United worked hard throughout the second and third quarters and, despite trailing by six goals (59-95) at the last break, United co-coaches Trent Freer and Cucinotta implored their players to make the most of their opportunities in a bid for a late upset.

However, the professionalism of Echuca shone through the dark clouds at Deakin as the Murray Bombers soared to their ninth win of the year.

Maddox said after making a habit of starting slow in 2025, he put it on his players to kill the match early.

“They are tough, Shepparton United, they were tough round one and they were tough again today,” he said.

“We wanted to be the first side that settled and, as it turned out, the game was probably won in the first quarter.”

It is a similar slow starting tale for the Demons who have been blown apart in the first quarter in seven out of their 10 matches this season.

In good news for United, the side remains incredibly competitive once it gets going, it’s just giving up four-plus goal leads so early in the match is tough for any young team to chase down and overcome.

High-flying Echuca key forward Hugh Byrne was electric in the first half and booted a game-high five goals.

Murray Bombers ruck Tenace was back to his best, while midfielder Jackson Stewart was brilliant at stoppages.

Reid’s young apprentice Cody Walker was also impressive in his seventh game of senior football as a 17-year-old.

Often matched up against Cucinotta, the future draft prospect demonstrated his football finesse, fitness and physicality in a fine display.

Maddox said Walker and Cucinotta had their fair share of the footy in a match-up between dashing youth and seasoned guile.

“(Walker and Cucinotta) are both really good offensively,” he said.

“(Walker) is a pretty bright talent and ball in hand, he is fantastic and his ability to break the lines and run and athleticism is super, so it won’t hurt Cody to play on a quality player like Cucinotta and learn a bit defensively.

“But they still both got stacks of the footy.”

Echuca had three debutants with thirds captain Luke Oellermann, Kobyn James and Glen Gillbee playing their first senior match.