In a well-fought contest Colbo proved to be a touch better than its opponent, triumphing 8-62 to 5-48 at Echuca Tennis Club.
The premiership is particularly impressive given the club did not field a division two team in the previous two seasons, returning with a vengeance in 2026 to win a title it last secured in 2022.
“It was a super fun year of tennis, Colbo hasn't had a team for a few years, but we got it up and going this year and we're very social, we're all about having fun,” team captain Ben McEvoy said.
“But we like playing our tennis too and the team performed really well today because we hadn't beaten that team, so we’re pretty chuffed.”
McEvoy’s team took control of the match early against Echuca, with he and Nick Knight sweeping the men’s singles rubbers with respective 6-1 and 6-0 victories.
Each of the other rubbers provided contrasting results.
In the men’s doubles, Echuca’s Greg Byrne and Peter Gronow had the most eye-catching result, winning 6-1, but Colbo would take the other two sets to remain in the driver’s seat.
Echuca would strike back by taking three of the four women’s doubles sets, as Jodie Jones and Kath Head stood out with a 6-1 win.
Echuca had won 10 of the 13 sets in the two sides’ previous meeting a month earlier, and it had become somewhat of a bogey team during the season for Colbo, which had to overcome recent history on the way to victory.
It did so by claiming three of the four mixed doubles rubbers, as Nathan Rogers and Nicole McEvoy led the way with a 6-1 win, ensuring the club’s rise in 2026 was marked with silverware.
“It's a nice reward for the year and we're all families, we've all got kids here that play and they're playing juniors as well, so tennis is on the up in Colbo which is great,” McEvoy said.
Though it is not a title that comes with the same glitz and glamour of the two AFL premierships McEvoy won with Hawthorn, he did put into perspective why such successes are just as special.
“It's always a privilege to win premierships at any level,” McEvoy said.
“Lots of people play really great sport for a long time and aren't lucky enough to win one, so I don't take it for granted, really pleased with the team's effort today and we look forward to celebrating.”
Other results
The major final of the day, in division one, was an all Echuca affair, Echuca 1 getting the best of Echuca 2 10-88 to 3-63 to return to the championship after a year away.
In division A, Tongala survived a spirited Elmore 1 effort to grab a third straight premiership, 4-39 to 4-32.
In division B, Rochy 5 lifted the trophy after scoring a 4-26 to 2-21 win over Echuca 9.
Echuca looked good in the early rubbers, holding a 16-8 lead after the first three sets.
Rochester would then surge home, grabbing three straight sets, including back-to-back 6-1 wins from the pairings of Ruby Connelly and Louis Frawley and Archie Watson and Jaxon Wolfe.
In division C, Lockington-Bamawm United couldn’t complete the fairytale after knocking off the minor premier in the semi-final, Echuca 17 earning the championship in a tight battle 4-26 to 2-23.
An early 6-0 victory from Reeve McCartney and Frank Potter set up the successful morning for Echuca.
LBU’s Logan Portwine and Cooper Hearn matched the effort in the final rubber of the match to keep things close, but their side was narrowly beaten.
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