On a windy autumn afternoon, the Rennie Hoppers hosted the Berrigan Saints to open their 2026 season, with the ground in excellent condition.
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The Hoppers welcomed newcomers Bourke, Sampson, Wood and Maskell-Dunstan, along with the returning Kirchen, Lewie Taylor, Murray and Woodhouse in the green and white.
Time will assist the Hoppers, but Berrigan controlled the first half. Their 212cm ruckman dominated the hit-outs, placing the ball perfectly into the hands of his smaller teammates, who delivered quality entries to their forwards.
The game was effectively decided by half-time, but Coach Hargreaves asked for increased commitment at the long break, and his team responded with a much more even contest in the second half.
Bourke was outstanding at full back, well supported by the experience of Fountain, while Will Taylor and Daz Clarke were both solid contributors. Freeman and Birks kicked the goals.
While not the ideal start, it provided a valuable learning opportunity, with Berrigan running out comfortable winners. Best players were Corey Bourke and Jarryd Fountain.
Awards: Will Taylor (Mulwala Water Ski Club), Darrin Clarke (Premix King), Dillon McGillivray (Yarrawonga Hotel)
Reserves
Berrigan 5.2, 6.4, 8.9, 12.10 (82) def Rennie 0.4, 1.7, 1.8, 2.9 (21)
The Hoppers entered the match with high hopes but quickly found themselves five goals down, and the game remained challenging from that point. Rennie struggled to move the ball effectively through half-forward, resulting in just two goals from Ferguson and Wolfe.
Co-captains Judd and Ferguson led the way as consistent ball winners, well supported by Baz Lewis. It was also pleasing to see Matt Nieuwenhuout perform strongly in his first game for the club. Leon Wolfe also showed that experience remains invaluable.
There is plenty to improve on heading into next week.
Awards: Joe Ferguson (Premix King), Jack Judd (Yarrawonga Bakery), Bailey Lewis (Yarrawonga Hotel), Matt Nieuwenhuout (Club Mulwala), Leon Wolfe (Mulwala Water Ski Club), Mick Paine (Yarrawonga Skin, Ski and Surf)
Under 17s
Berrigan 8.5, 13.11, 20.20, 31.24 (210) def Rennie 0.1, 0.1, 0.1, 0.1 (1)
It was a highlight of the day to see an Under 17 Rennie side take the field again after a year’s hiatus. Full credit goes to Pickles Davis for his efforts in making this possible.
While Berrigan proved too strong on the day, the result was secondary to the achievement of getting the team back on the field. The group showed encouraging signs and will continue to develop as the season progresses.
Awards: Zander Rhodes (Woods Bus Lines), Aiden Hodgson (Intersport Wingates), Jack Van Den Bosch (C & T Rhodes), Patrick Lyons (Red Ag), Blake Carey (Papalia’s)
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Under 14s
Rennie 8.1, 14.4, 21.6, 28.7 (175) def Berrigan 0.0
The Hoppers opened their season in dominant fashion, recording a 174-point win, highlighted by 28 goals from 35 scoring shots.
Nine different goal kickers contributed, led by Ednie with nine, Withers with five, Crawford with four and True with three. The performance reflected a strong team effort, with all 22 players making valuable contributions.
Coach Hemphill was particularly pleased with the defensive unit, with the half-back line consistently repelling Berrigan’s forward entries. It was an excellent start to what promises to be a long season.
Awards: Brax Ednie (Darren Lewis Fencing), Riley Wallace (Yarrawonga Skin, Sun and Surf), Lenny Legudi (Yarrawonga Bakery), Mason Santoro (Border Concrete Plumbing), Ed Withers (Crawford Family), Hudson Crawford (Intium Energy).
Under 11
A strong crowd gathered as the Under 11s began their season. Coach Blocker noted it was a great start, with a focus on developing teamwork, kicking to position and effective handballing.
While these games are non-scored, the Rennie players demonstrated a solid overall performance.
Awards: George Styles (Purtle Electrical), Jack Farr (Red Ag), Angus Douglass (Freeman Glass and Aluminium), Cal Few (T & R Marrett), Lyla-Rose Jones (Rennie Catering Committee).
Round 3 next week sees Rennie travel to Picola, with after-match awards at the Mulwala Water Ski Club.
Netball
A Grade
Rennie 37 defeated Berrigan 36
Round 2 was done and dusted with a nail-biting 37–36 win against Berrigan.
As the season began with some new faces in the A Grade lineup, it has been great to bring together experience and leadership with a few young guns. The combinations are already starting to click.
It was a full team effort across the court, with strong defensive pressure, smooth midcourt transition, and composure in the shooting circle when it counted.
Award winners: Jennika Parker (RNC Incentive), Claire Dawson (Showcase Jewellers), Leisa Hodgson (Yarra Hotel), Demi Rhodes (Miss Dolly).
B Grade
Rennie 37 defeated Berrigan 24
The first home and away game of the season saw Berrigan travel to Rennie. With four out of nine players having never played together before, nerves were high. The girls took to the court and gave their absolute all.
Leading throughout the game, they showed dedication and determination to secure the win.
Defenders Autumn, Ella, Indi and Alani all showed their place in the team, playing hard and contesting every ball with plenty of turnovers and intercepts.
Goalers Haylee, Ebb and Alani demonstrated impressive accuracy, reflecting the hard work put in during the off-season. Meanwhile, midcourters Alainah, Bree and Mia worked tirelessly to move the ball accurately from one end to the other, never giving up. The team’s pre-season fitness was evident.
A well-deserved win.
C Grade
Rennie 50 defeated Berrigan 30
With several new faces in the C Grade lineup, there were early nerves but plenty of excitement as the season kicked off. From the first whistle, the team showed strength and consistency across the court.
Rach, Georgie and Gaby were relentless in defence, creating multiple turnovers. In the shooting circle, Kayla and Tegan combined with confidence and control, proving dominant throughout the game.
The midcourt unit tied everything together, consistently driving play and creating opportunities at both ends. Millie, Nada and Georgia rotated seamlessly, maintaining strong momentum. Tess also stepped in, demonstrating versatility and skill across multiple positions.
Overall, it was a fantastic team performance with plenty of positives to take forward, along with a few areas to continue refining.
Awards: Kayla Johnson (Judd’s Yarrawonga), Rach Guppy (Free As A Bird), Nada Nolen (Yarrawonga Hotel), Millie Lourie (One Zach – Players’ Player).
C Reserve
Rennie 23 defeated by Berrigan 34
The C Reserve team took to the court for their opening game with a great mix of familiar faces and fresh talent. With returning players and several new additions, there was a strong sense of excitement and anticipation.
Although the result did not fall their way, the game was filled with promising moments that highlighted the team’s potential. The effort, attitude and determination shown by all players were incredibly encouraging for a first hit-out. The positivity on and off the court set a strong foundation for the season ahead.
In the goal ring, a strong combination began to form between Shez, Erin and new player Kate. Erin showed great leadership, guiding play and setting up attacking movements, supported by precise feeds from midcourters Loz, Dan, Eden and Shez.
Defensively, it was fantastic to welcome Trudie back after a season away. She applied relentless pressure and showed great agility and awareness. New players Fern and Hannah also impressed, working cohesively and taking on feedback with enthusiasm.
Overall, the team should be proud of their first performance together and will look to build on it in the coming weeks.
Under 17s
Rennie 76 defeated Berrigan 21
After losing star defender Samantha Knight in the off-season to injury, the team faced some unexpected changes. With her encouragement, the girls had an outstanding pre-season and were ready to begin 2026 strongly.
They delivered with a dominant 55-goal win. Co-captains Mia Brogan and Demi Rhodes led with commitment and communication. The team consistently worked hard to implement their key focus areas.
Demi Rhodes was a standout, with strong drives, excellent passing and accurate shooting across four quarters. New player Lilly Thompson brought great energy and work ethic.
Jaz Johnson led a strong defensive effort, with excellent application of skills worked on during training. Ruby Long also shone, showing significant improvement after a strong pre-season. Coaches Kayla and Paula were very proud of Ruby and the entire team’s efforts.
The focus remains on continuing to work hard and improve together.
Under 15s
Rennie 34 defeated Berrigan 13
There was plenty of excitement and a few nerves ahead of the first game of the 2026 season at home against Berrigan. The team started strongly, implementing their pre-season work, with shooters combining well in the ring.
Ball movement down the court was impressive, and defenders applied pressure in every quarter.
It was a great start to the season, with the win highlighting a bright future for the team.
Awards: Lily Lewis (Papalia’s Pizza & Pasta), Sienna Blick (Rhodes Family), Ella Wilson (Lewis Fencing), Dakota True (Corowa Curtains & Decor).
Under 13s
Rennie 31 defeated Berrigan 3
It was a fantastic effort from the Under 13 team, finishing with a strong 31–3 win against Berrigan.
The girls showed great teamwork and determination, along with impressive versatility as they confidently stepped into new positions. Their willingness to adapt and support one another continues to strengthen their development and confidence.
Award winners: Abbey Dowling (Thyme for Coffee), Tayissa Dawson (Nick Davis Plastering), Harper Mathieson (Paula Mifka Award), Grace Williams (Rhodes Family).
Under 11s
Team Emerald
It was an early start to the season and a fantastic first game. The players put their training into practice, passing well and applying defensive pressure across the court.
It was great to see their confidence grow throughout the game, and the coaches were very proud of the team’s performance.
Awards: Millie (Jacyees Award), Nat (Marrett Family Award), Frankie (Paula Mifka Award), Thea (Rennie Catering Award).
Team Green
The team delivered a strong performance, with quick passages of play and good decision-making. Players rotated through positions and adapted well.
The teamwork and encouragement shown were excellent, with every player contributing and giving their all.
A very positive performance and one to be proud of.
Awards: Evie (Skin, Ski and Surf), McKenzie (Jacyees Award), Isla (Rhodes Family Award), Lucy (Rennie Catering Award).