The Steamers lost to Mathoura by five shots in the weekend’s preliminary final who will now face off with Tongala in the grand final at Echuca Bowling Club on Saturday.
Mathoura finished the season third, but only four points separated the three clubs at the top of the ladder.
In the opening week of the finals Mathoura beat its NSW neighbour Deniliquin by 18 shots by winning all three rinks and advanced to week two.
On Saturday it won one of the three rinks at Deniliquin Bowls Club, but the Mick Humphreys victory was to provide safe passage into the grand final.
He took a 12-shot win against Moama opponent Michael Linehan.
Former Rich River skip Jason McCloy, now at Mathoura, lost by three shots to Geoff Beattie, who joined Moama after a season at Kyabram.
On the remaining rink Rodney Werner gave Moama a second win when he beat former Rochester skip Peter Holzer by four shots.
It was, however, a 52-47 (12-4) win for Mathoura and the second time in a matter of weeks it had beaten Moama this season.
While Moama was a 13-shot winnner early in the season, in the final home and away round of the year it was victory for Mathoura — by six shots — with wins to Humphreys and Holzer.
Tongala and Mathoura’s two meetings this year were in round five (Tongala won all three rinks and took a 16-shot win) and round 12 (again a Tongala domination, winning by 22 shots).
In that second meeting Bradley Tinning’s rink was a 23-shot winner, with only Humphrey’s successful for Mathoura (against Barry Tinning).
Mathoura was knocked out of the 2022-23 pennant race by Echuca, losing a thriller by three shots despite winning two of the three rinks.
Tongala’s path to its back-to-back wins last season was a little rougher than 2023-24.
It lost the opening week to Rich River before winning a one-sided preliminary against Echuca and the grand final by seven shots against Rich River.
The previous season it won a thriller at Rochester Bowls Club against Echuca to claim the 2021-22 title.
· In the division two grand final Moama Steamers and Echuca will play off, while Stanhope has been knocked out of the race for the division three title.
The Lions lost to Echuca by five shots at Deniluquin RSL Bowling Club on Saturday, Andrew Morris’ 12-shot win not enough to influence the result.
Cyril Evans lost by five and Jennifer Crilly by 12 as the Echuca opposition collected a 65-60 (14-2) win.
Echuca and Deniliquin RSL will contest the division four grand final, with Echuca also involved in the division five play off — against Moama Steamers.
· In the Goulburn Valley Playing Area the top flight (division one) grand final is between Tallygaroopna and Shepparton Golf.
Those clubs are also involved in the division two grand final, while Seymour VRI and Rushworth will contest the division three grand final.
Eildon and Euroa face off in division four, while the division five preliminary final battle of Merrigum and Kyabram went the way of the Bulldogs.
Merrigum won the match by 10 shots, 64-54, John Firmer’s 11-shot win against John Elliott heavily influencing the result.
David Pettifer had a one-shot win for Merrigum in his match with Ray Harrison, while Kyabram’s only winner on the day was John Fanning — by two shots against Joe Chant.
Merrigum will now face Colbinabbin for the second time in three weeks, having lost a thrilling qualifying final by one shot at Shepparton Park on February 24.
The grand final will be at the same venue on Saturday at noon.
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