Sport

Lightning premiership champions

By Contributed

Aug 20, 2025

The Deniliquin Rams under-12s are Goulburn Murray Junior League Lightning Premiership champions.

The Deniliquin Rams’s under-12s finished off their season on Sunday, hosting the four Echuca Bombers under-12 teams at Hardinge St Oval for the GMJL Lightning Premiership.

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It was a round-robin draw, playing lightning football matches - a shortened format of football, with each team playing four matches and the top two teams playing off for the premiership medals.

The young Rams waited until the last day to put together their best football of the season.

With a full squad, they kicked five straight goals in the first half of their first match and they continued the momentum right throughout the day.

Game 1: Rams 6.1 (37) def Echuca Bombers 0.0 (0).

Game 2: Rams 7.3 (45) def Echuca White 0.0 (0).

Game 3: Rams 1.2 (8) def Echuca Murray Bombers 0.0 (0).

Game 4: Rams 3.0 (18) drew Echuca Green 3.0 (18).

The boys faced Echuca Murray Bombers again in the grand final. The Bombers had only had one loss all season.

The top-age players took charge, with some brilliant performances from Ollie Dellwo, Charlie Murray, Ned Wettenhall, Lachie Jeffrey, Jimmy O’Connor and Will Crossley.

They were well supported by Harrison Leetham, Nate Fitzpatrick and Edward Bliss.

The boys took the lead early, following a great chest mark and goal from Spencer Hayes, and rarely let the ball travel down to the Murray Bombers’ forward 50.

The boys were ecstatic when the siren blew, with Rams 2.4 (16) defeating Echuca Murray Bombers 0.1 (1).

It was a very special moment for coach Rob Wettenhall, who has coached many of these 23 boys from the age of five when they started Auskick.

A special thanks to assistant coaches Mark Jeffrey and Adam Dellwo.

Thanks also go to Harry Hillier who umpired all day, the Rams committee and under-12 parents who scored, helped in the canteen and with the team to make the day and season so special.