‘Last Christmas, clubs dreamed of a flag.

‘But the very next September, it was Kyabram’s day (and Shepparton’s too).

‘This year, to save them from tears, they’ll wish for a GVL miracle.’

It’s that time of year again - not the football season, but the season of hope and the season of giving - and every Goulburn Valley League club’s president, board members, coaching staff, and players will rest their heads on December 24, dreaming that when they wake up, a generous Christmas gift will give them hope for their 2026 campaign.

Will they wake to a Sam Darcy prototype under the tree asking to be paid peanuts to play at the club? Or a fortune cookie telling their premiership fate in their stocking?

We’ve reflected on the season gone by for the GVL’s football netball teams and crafted what would be the ideal wish to come true for each club.

So, what’s on your club’s Christmas wish list?

Benalla

Wish: New coaching game plans works wonders

Both Benalla’s football and netball outfits will begin new eras after welcoming fresh faces to the head coaching roles of either code.

QAFL coach Nicholas Pearson has jumped into the role from former AFL star Jarrad Waite, and has delivered a Santa sack full of signings already to the Saints fold.

Meanwhile, the Saints have also employed Colleen Balfour as A-grade coach, who offers a point of difference as an off-court mentor.

Having not coached the grade before, Balfour’s appointment seems left-field, but with a daughter in the Benalla system and umpiring the top grade for two years, Balfour has had a watchful eye on the netball team and a few ideas in mind to reshape their performances for the better.

Benalla will be hoping the new off-field acquisitions work like a charm, and see the club rise the table in both codes next year.

Echuca

Wish: Get Cody Walker in for a game or two

It won’t surprise many to see Echuca in the finals again in 2026 with its core list of talent.

The Murray Bombers were bundled out in 2025 and lost its chance at a four-peat, but it’s not to say it’s the end of its premiership era this decade.

However, after 2026, it’s inevitable its prized boy Cody Walker will end his era at Echuca to follow in his father’s footsteps and don the navy blue in 2027, with Walker currently holding favouritism for being the number one AFL draft pick of 2026 and tied to Carlton via the father-son rule.

Walker won the club’s senior’s best in finals award this year at just 17 years of age, and featured in five games for the club, four at senior level and one in under-18s.

However, it’s likely in 2026 that Walker’s commitments to the Talent League, Vic Country and Australian Academy will reduce the availability for Walker to play for his home town club.

2025 draftee Riley Onley featured just once for Shepparton United in his draft year, so Echuca will be wishing with all their might that their home-grown prodigy will represent the green monogram one final time before he dons the navy blue variety for many years to come.

Euroa

Wish: Tongala and Langwarrin netball teams suddenly disband and the departed return

Okay, admittedly this Christmas wish is blatantly outrageous and a bit Grinchy... but Christmas miracles exist, right?

Euroa will be wishing on such a miracle on December 25 and praying it is at the very top of Santa’s nice list - although its wish should put it atop of the naughty variety.

It’s undoubtedly an impossible wish to ask for, for two clubs to disband, but gee, Magpies coach Ellie Warnock will be dreaming some extreme luck falls Euroa’s way.

Euroa lost two genuine gems from its squad this off-season - wing attack Hollie Reid and four-figure goal shooter Liv Morris, to the respective aforementioned clubs.

It leaves a gaping hole up in the goal circle through Morris’ departure, while Reid’s versatility through centre court is another sour blow.

After three consecutive grand finals and a 2024 premiership, the Magpies’ era of dominance may be stretched in 2026, unless an outlandish Christmas miracle returns Morris and Reid back into black and white.

Kyabram

Wish: Depth show their worth

Well, what a chaotic off-season it’s been for the new premiers of the GVL.

The Bombers waved goodbye to red and black premiership stars Archie Watt, Liam Ogden, Tom Holman, and Nicholas Jephson this off-season, and while a couple of former players from the late 2010s dynasty have returned, namely Aaron Hayes and Rhys Clark, spots in the line-up have now become available for the deep reserves pool at Kyabram.

The depth is there on paper at the Bombers’ disposal, signified by a runners-up effort this year in the twos, and with the departure of flag heroes, a seamless change in rotation will be ideal for the back-to-back hopefuls.

Mansfield

Wish: Top two finish

The Eagles finished just a game and percentage outside the top two in 2025, and a flag from outside that position proved too difficult, defeating Shepparton in a gruelling elimination final before losing to Kyabram in the second week of finals by 82 points and Rochester by 26 in the preliminary final.

A top two spot would provide Mansfield with a week one double chance, and should Mansfield win the qualifying final, it offers a shorter path to a grand final ticket and an extra week’s rest, which proved pivotal for this year’s premier Kyabram.

Mooroopna

Wish: Keep the Cats crew that remains

Notable netball exits have marred the Cats’ offseason after a finals berth in 2025.

Losing the likes of Claudia Plattfuss and Chloe Meulenmeesters to Shepparton United after an elimination final win this year, the Cats will hope that its crew remains stable if it is to achieve a similar feat or go a couple better in 2026.

In the club’s 150th year, another netball finals appearance would be a perfect way to celebrate the club’s deep heritage and affiliation with the GVL.

Rochester

Wish: Keep the clutch gene

In a sport where games, and seasons, are determined by fine margins, it was Rochester who owned the clutch genetic in 2025.

The Tigers boasted the best record of games decided by three goals or fewer, running at an 85 per cent clip with six wins and one loss, excluding Rochester’s draw with Mansfield in round 15, which would bump the unbeaten ratio to 87.5 per cent.

The nail-biting victories saw Rochester book a double chance and provided valuable experience that, in turn, helped knock off reigning premiers Echuca by six points in the semi-final.

While it fell short of the mark in the grand final, the tight wins can provide faith to the playing group that the path to premiership glory is on the horizon.

Seymour

Wish: Play finals football and more of Mason

The Lions were just one win and percentage away from finals action in 2025, giving the club plenty of hope finals are on the cards in 2026.

Three nail-biting victories saw Seymour knock on the finals door, and while it fell short of the mark, those wins over finalists Shepparton Swans and Shepparton (twice) can provide faith to the playing group that September action is not too far away.

Oh, and just to be greedy, another wish for a few games with their Collingwood VFL export Riley Mason would be pretty handy too, after he kicked 27 goals from just five games in 2025.

Shepparton

Wish: Get out of a slump free card

Is there a Goulburn Valley League edition of the Monopoly board game? Because Shepparton will be putting it down on its wish list with one specific intention.

The Bears finished sixth in 2025 and were eliminated by Mansfield in the elimination final, left to rue a costly five-game losing streak early in the season.

Outside that form slump, the Bears lost just two games, depicting the rough patch as the downfall of its campaign.

In those five losses, three games were determined by three goals or fewer, and twice Shepparton recorded equal or just one less scoring shot than its opposition.

Had a couple of those games had sharper shooting, Shepparton would have been better positioned in the finals equation, and its early demise may have gone another way.

In 2026, a get out of jail free card for a form slump will be desired to avoid a small blip upending premiership aspirations.

Shepparton Swans

Wish: A return ticket to the finals arena

The Swans broke a near-decade long drought to play GVL finals in 2025, but with a coaching change, and the departure of two clubs stars in Mark Kovacevic and Nathan Hrovat, the Swans will be hoping for a ticket that guarantees a return to September as it looks to find some stability on-field in a shaky off-season.

Shepparton United

Wish: Play finals football

With a plethora of signings embarking on the Skene St end of Deakin Reserve, Shepparton United’s intentions for 2026 go without saying - the Demons are on the hunt for finals again.

The question begs though if the Demons can actually make such a leap after a three-win campaign in 2025, two of those wins falling in the last rounds of the season.

A deep dive into United’s season suggests the club isn’t as far off the mark as the paper may reflect.

Shepparton United held a record of 1-5 in games decided by three goals or fewer - a few against finalists no less.

Had the Demons nabbed a couple close ones, they could have finished as high as eighth - and from there, finals doesn’t sound like too far of a possibility.

Even so, the last team to make such a rise in the GVL was not too long ago.

Rochester in 2024 ascended from 10th with a 4-14 record in 2023 to finish third with a record of 13-5.

And with a mass array of signatures to don the red and blue next year, United will be hopeful an improvement just as strong will spell a sweeter spot on the GVL ladder in 2026.

Tatura

Wish: Jump out of fourth!

For the third year running, Tatura’s netball outfit finished fourth on the GVL ladder, and for a second straight year, the Bulldogs fell short in its elimination final.

While Tatura’s football department has struggled as of late on turf, the Bulldogs have grown from strength to strength on the court, but remain just a step away from making a genuine flag push.

However, good things come to those that wait - or at least consistently put themselves in the right spot.

Shepparton finished sixth, sixth, and fifth before its undefeated season saw the Bears win a maiden A-grade flag, Euroa finished fifth then first before breaking through in 2024 as minor premier, and Echuca finished fourth in 2022 before its 2023 flag.

Importantly, all three of the latest GVL netball premiers finished in the top three in their flag years after playing finals consistently the seasons prior.

Tatura has held itself in contention regularly - now is the time to make the jump.

Hopefully, a fortune cookie telling such a fate is in Tatura’s stocking on December 25.

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Saturday, 28th February 2026

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