Star Swan makes the leap

By Josh Huntly

May 25, 2025

Oliver Warburton gets the ball moving Photo by Megan Fisher

Oliver Warburton jumped into the senior interleague football cauldron for the first time in the Goulburn Valley League’s contest against the Ovens & Murray at the weekend.

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The highly touted Shepparton Swans midfielder was one of seven debutants for the GVL’s senior interleague side and, despite the eventual 77-point defeat, he stood out as one of its better performed stars.

The GVL’s #11 had equal praise for both the O&M and the Goulburn Valley League’s last-quarter revival.

“O&M were pretty quick, you could tell by the way they moved the ball.” Warburton said.

“Credit to the boys in the last quarter, we had nothing to lose. Oz (GVL coach Dale Osborne) was really good all day, he led from the front as coach, and he just asked us not to give up.

“It was a good day in general, but they were just a bit too quick, it felt like they had an extra player on the ground.

“We’re locking horns with each other every week, so it’s good to get the best players in the comp to come together and play against the O&M, I love it.”

Warburton, The News’ Rising Star in April, was one of two Swans to don the purple and gold, with Nathan Rachele also being tapped for representative honours.

They will no doubt be aiming to take that experience back to Princess Park as the Shepparton Swans, undefeated from seven starts and second on the GVL ladder, aim to topple Echuca in a mammoth round eight clash.