Barooga is back in the Picola and District Football League - and back to winning.

Securing its first senior win in 650 days, the Hawks’ move from the Murray Football League to the PDL has been ratified with a belting of the club theme song, following the standalone round one match between Barooga and Tocumwal.

“It’s been a big build up to get to round one,” Barooga co-coach Jeremy O’Brien said.

“It was great for everyone involved to get our first win in a fair while, in both seniors and reserves.

“Really rewarding for our supporters and our committee for their work behind the scenes.”

A rapid start on Good Friday saw the Hawks notch six goals on the board in the opening term to produce a 19-point lead, before withstanding a dialled-up effort from the Bloods in the second term, marginally extending the lead by a goal at the half-time break.

While the Hawks looked comfortable on the Bloods’ deck, Tocumwal would come out with energy following the main break, rattling Barooga’s welcome to the league party that had begun without challenge.

Tocumwal’s defence held as firm as a brick wall for the third quarter, allowing just one behind to tick over on Barooga’s side of the scoreboard, while the Bloods rallied with four goals and five behinds to sneak in front by three points at three-quarter-time.

Suddenly with their backs against the wall, Barooga now had to prove its losing days are a thing of the past with a resilient surge - and following a three-quarter-time spray, the Hawks did exactly that.

A game-high seven-goal term soared the Hawks towards a maiden 2026 victory, and its first since round 11, 2024, defeating the Bloods 16.5 (101) to 12.8 (80).

“That was probably the pleasing things... that we turned it around,” O’Brien said.

“After that lapse in the third quarter my co-coach Craig Ednie gave the boys a bit of a rev-up and they responded.

“We were a bit worried on the bench for a time, but the response was great to see.”

Barooga’s Riley Gow kicked a bag of five, earning best on ground, while Alex Krause contributed four majors too.

Gow, while playing on ball at times, was thrown deep in the last quarter to combat Tocumwal’s defence and delivered with two goals, as did Krause.

“They were absolutely pivotal for us,” O’Brien said.

Samuel Decicco was the best for Tocumwal, as Jack Tyndall and Liam Sutton were the major goal kickers with three each respectively.

In the netball, Barooga’s PDL return was less successful, valiantly falling short to Tocumwal by eight goals in A-grade.

The 36 to 28 result is a small launchpad to boost from for last year’s fourth-placed finishers, the Bloods bowing out in straight sets via a semi-final loss to Katamatite.

Barooga and Tocumwal will both take a bye in round two, before full eight-game fixtures get underway in round three.

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Wednesday, 26th September 2029

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