A possible move by Echuca to the Bendigo Football Netball League is gaining momentum.

Echuca will explain its reasons to fellow Goulburn Valley League clubs at a league delegates meeting tonight (Wednesday).

Echuca held an information night on March 12 on a possible shift in leagues and will need the support of members by a possible June 30 deadline if it is to pursue a move from the Goulburn Valley League.

Echuca club president Justin Hatfield said his club would issue a survey to its supporters to explain the benefits and non benefits of a possible move.

‘‘We don’t want to be going about it the wrong way,’’ said Hatfield.

Hatfield made mention that one of the Bendigo League clubs, Gisborne, was blocked from leaving the Bendigo League by the AFL Appeals Board because it deemed it would have a negative impact on the Bendigo League which has lost Kyneton, which has switched to the Ballarat League, and Maryborough, which has gone into recess, in the past two years.

GVL president Peter Foott said his league would be fighting to keep Echuca in its league.

Foott said the main beef Echuca had with the GVL was its players points system, the use of ‘home’ umpires in its reserves competition and a reputed loss of professionalism in its administration.

In its defence of the GVL Foott said AFL Victoria administered the points system and clubs seeking umpires to officiate in the reserves competition could apply to the GVL Umpires Association for its umpires to handle any requests.

Echuca rejoined the GVL in 1974 after having initially joining it in 1909.

It also played in the Bendigo Football League, from 1925 until 1939, then from 1949 to 1974.

Echuca played in the Echuca Football League from 1946 to 1948, winning three consecutive premierships, before returning to the Bendigo Football League.

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In a significant move, the Bendigo League has had a change of eligibility of ‘homegrown’ players to play in finals.

Players who now play with VFL clubs will now have to play only four games with their home club during the season to be eligible to return to play with their original club in finals. But non-local VFL listed players will need to still play six games to qualify.

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Cricket Shepparton won’t be budging on it decision to stage the Haisman Shield premiership decider at Katandra.

The showdown takes place this weekend between Kyabram and Waaia, clubs who have won the last two flags.

There has been talk the minor premier Kyabram could stage the game at Kyabram due to the current cost of fuel.

But Cricket Shepparton president Narelle Claney said the game would go ahead at Katandra, the venue originally selected to stage the final.

There is a school of thought that Kyabram cricket fans will be reluctant to make two trips to Katandra in two days, given the price of fuel at present.

Katandra is 65km from Kyabram and if supporters attended both days, it would become a costly exercise.

But Ms Claney said both teams and supporters will have to travel, given one further than the other, but Katandra has always been the venue to stage the premiership showdown.

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Trots owners Brett Scoble, his father Arthur and Damien Langdon were celebrating two wins in two days two weeks ago, courtesy of the same horse.

Their trotting mare Straight To The Top won at the Bendigo meeting on the Wednesday night and repeated the dose the next night at Kilmore.

She attempted a hat-trick within the space of six days when she lined up at last week’s Shepparton meeting and finished a close-up third after a gallant bid to lead all the way.

By Peak, Straight To The Top has now won six races from 43 career starts with 10 minor placings.

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Tungamah’s Cameron Ford is a straight shooter when it comes to clay target shooting.

He recently won the 2026 Universal Trench Word Title in the junior division at the Melbourne Gun Club .

Runner-up last year in the same event, he was also awarded the Junior Beretta Cup, decided on this year’s and last year’s scores.

This week Cameron is representing Australia in the ISSF trench division in the World Cup, an Olympic discipline, in Morocco.

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Murray Valley Cricket Association’s top individual award, the Guthrie Medal, has been won by Barooga’s skipper Riyaad Henry.

Cobram’s Adam De Cicco topped both the leading run makers and bowling awards with 337 at an average of 84.25 and 28 wickets at a cost of 10.04.

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Thursday, 29th April 2027

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