Shepparton United Goulburn Murray Women and Girls League premiership player Lana Carroll kicked the first goal of the second half for the Bushrangers, helping Murray overturn a 12-point half time deficit to win by four points against Tasmania, 5.5 (35) to 6.3 (39).
The Bushrangers had no problems despite a long trip over to the Apple Isle’s Glenorchy, as other Demons Leila Creevey and Ashanti Walker also featured in the narrow win that advances the Bushies to preliminary final weekend.
The Murray Bushrangers’ boys season is officially over though, however AFL prospect Tanner Armstrong pushed his case a final time in the Talent League.
Armstrong recorded 35 disposals for the 17th-placed Bushies, despite a tough team day at the office against sixth-placed Gippsland that saw the Power stroll to an 18.14 (122) to 7.4 (46) victory at La Trobe University.
Armstrong had eight marks and five tackles to boot with his touches of the Sherrin.
While it was hard going for the Bushrangers playing against plenty of projected first round selections such as Marlon Neocleous and Will Malady, Shepparton products Hunter Howells and Lincoln Brand performed strongly to push their own agendas.
Howells picked up 22 disposals and 10 marks playing as an on-baller, while Brand upped his 2027 draft stocks with 27 disposals and nine marks off half back.
Another Bear in Angus Williams kicked a goal and had 16 disposals as a key target, while Shepparton’s Jack Mellington made one last effort to make a draft case with 24 disposals and a goal, after averaging 22.3 possessions and 0.8 goals through the season.
Bottom-agers Alex Whitlock (Shepparton) and Patrick McCarthy (Tatura) showed glimpses of their flashiness with 22 and nine disposals respectively, while Shepparton United 18-year-old Blake Sofra had 19 disposals, an increase of seven on his season average at the Bushies.
Archer Hueston finished off a great season up forward with another goal to add to his tally - finishing the year with 18.21 from 16 games.
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