Sam Reid to return for Echuca in Goulburn Valley league

Echuca will be further bolstered in the run home to the Goulburn Valley league finals series with the return of a star recruit.

Echuca will be further bolstered in the run home to the Goulburn Valley league finals series with the return of star recruit Sam Reid for its next match following a bye this weekend.

Reid has not played since round one when he suffered a double injury blow in the match against Rochester in which Echuca controversially had its points scrapped for playing an ineligible player.

Echuca has not lost a match since and sits two games clear on top of the ladder ahead of Euroa, which it thrashed by 62 points on Saturday.

Sam Reid leaves the ground on a stretcher in a round one against Rochester. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Reid carried a pectoral muscle injury into the season opener match and the former Greater Western Sydney player also suffered a knee injury in the early April encounter.

Co-coach Simon Maddox confirmed Reid was poised to return for Echuca’s next match against Tatura on July 23.

Echuca co coaches Simon Maddox and Andrew Walker. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

He will further bolster an already talented line-up that includes the club’s other co-coach, Andrew Walker, midfield tough nut Jack McHale and key forward Ruory Kirkby.

Maddox said the big win against Euroa was an ideal way to go into a bye and the club’s next big challenge against Kyabram looming on July 30.

“We jumped them in the first quarter, the second and third was an arm wrestle and then we opened them up a bit in the last quarter,” he said.

“We feel if we play our best footy we are really hard to beat.”

Echuca’s Ruory Kirkby, left, in action against Rochester. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Kyabram has climbed to third spot after thrashing Mooroopna by 55 points.

Echuca was on top of the ladder when last season was cut short by Covid with the club in a two decade long premiership drought after winning back-to-back flags in 2001-02.