The Rams will likely be looking forward to the rematch from the opening round, which was held at Echuca.
Deni fared well in that round, winning the A-grade netball by five goals and senior football by 14 points, and with close matches and losses throughout the rest of the grades.
A lot has happened since then for both clubs, and this week will be a chance to show their development since then.
Home ground advantage may also boost the Rams this time around.
The senior football teams have fairly even records, both with three wins. The Rams sit in tenth on the ladder, while Echuca United are in eighth.
The Eagles are slightly ahead due to their results, which defy ladder position.
They’ve beaten Cobram, Tongala and Rumbalara and drew with unbeaten ladder leaders Congupna, but have lost to all other sides.
Two rounds ago, it was an agonisingly close one point loss to Rumba.
Neither the Rams nor the Eagles have had a win in more than five rounds, so will be looking to change that this weekend.
The Rams lost by 49 points to Numurkah away last weekend.
Coach John Fitzpatrick said shots at goal and other parts of the game didn’t go the Rams’ way.
“One goal seven in the first quarter certainly doesn’t help, but we had a fair bit of the play.
“In the second quarter, they had 22 inside 50s and conceded four goals, while we didn’t score any ourselves in what was a pretty hard defensive quarter.
“In the second half, we were fairly even, but 17 scoring shots to 21 scoring shots tells the story.
“We had the chances, just nothing was falling our way.
“I said to the boys, ‘We’re all around them, and just not getting them’.
“But we’re getting the opportunities, which is a positive.”
This week against an up-and-down Echuca United, the senior Rams will be missing some key players.
“They seem to have been good against the best sides and battled against the weaker sides,” Fitzpatrick said.
“We’ll battle as we’ll have five out, including the two school boys (Charlie Bull and Oscar Wren) who are two quality players. Mick Barnett is away, and so is Riley Hamilton.
“But it’ll be another chance for a few different people, in a few different positions, to step up and play a role.”
The Rams will be looking to use this weekend to salvage victory, in one of their best chances for a win in the last four games before finals.
“We know where we’re at. The main thing this weekend is that we put up a fight.
“It is a big game at home.
“Our aim is to keep the boys engaged and enjoying it, that’s the main thing overall.”
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