FAST FACTS
COACH: JORDAN SOUTER 2022 FINISH: THIRD (15-3) 2022 BEST-AND-FAIREST: NICK JAMIESON 2022 LEADING GOAL-KICKER: DARREN EWING (57) HOME GROUND: TONGALA RECREATION RESERVE NICKNAME: BLUES
PLAYER CHANGES
Ins: Mitch Gugliotti, James Ross (Kyabram), Ryan Campbell (Echuca), Blake McAuliffe, Mitch Fitzgerald, Jack Sinclair, Oliver Watt, Tom Cooper
Outs: Adam Lovison (Stanhope), Nick Jamieson (Sorrento), Riley Bacon (Maiden Gully), Nick Woods, Todd Van Roy (Girgarre), Brayden Nevett (Leitchville-Gunbower), Mackenzie Cowley (Mooroopna), Anthony Dennis (Calivil United), Jack Hammond (Cobden), Cameron Ilett, Ryan Nyhuis
Tongala has been one of the Murray Football League’s perennial premiership challengers of the past four years, including a grand final appearance in 2019.
Fast forward to last year, and the Blues’ first full season of footy since that grand final resulted in another premiership push, only to end in a heart-breaking 10-point semi-final loss to Moama.
But it will be a new challenge in 2023 for the new-look Blues, with the departure of a raft of stars headlining the club’s off-season.
Tongala will need to juggle the loss of up to eight senior players, including Northern Territory legend Cam Ilett, reigning O’Dwyer medallist Nick Jamieson, skipper Adam Lovison, and former best-and-fairest Jack Hammond.
Kyabram talents Mitch Gugliotti and James Ross have made the move to Tongala Recreation Reserve, and with the talents of Coby McCarthy, Corey Nexhip and Darren Ewing still poised to take to the park, the Blues will back themselves to remain in the hunt for finals.