GVL Data statistical information, unsurprisingly, points to him as being a key player in Echuca’s bid to win its first premiership since 2002.
Kirkby has kicked 81 goals and 31 behinds from his 20 matches this season and is now only one behind Mooroopna’s Christopher Neild, whose season finished two weeks ago when the Cats lost to Mansfield.
The pair have been the standout forwards this season, the only other player to have kicked more than 50 goals for the season being Euroa’s Jett Trotter.
Twelve contested marks and 13 goals from three matches against Euroa has Kirkby poised to be the major stumbling block for Euroa.
Kirkby is not only the league’s leading goalkicker, but he also has 21 more inside 50 marks than Neild. Kirkby has pulled in 124 marks in the 50-metre arc, Neild 103 and next best is Cameron Arnold from Mansfield (64).
Kirkby has also taken more contested marks than any other player in the Goulburn Valley league’s senior competition. He is even more dangerous with Angus Byrne as his sidekick.
Byrne did not play in either of the home and away matches between the pair, but tore the Magpies apart in the semi-final.
Before the semi-final meeting between Echuca and Euroa, the Magpies top goalscorer — Jett Trotter — had kicked just three goals in two meetings with Echuca.
He kicked a bag of four in the semi-final and cleverly drew four free kicks from the close checking Echuca defence.
In round two this year, a 43-point Echuca win, the Magpies won the contested ball count and clearances, but had 18 less inside 50 entries.
There was only 36 possessions, in Echuca’s favour, difference in the disposal count.
Jack McHale had 28 disposals and 13 clearances to be the outstanding player on the ground. Only poor kicked stopped Kirkby from dominating the match, kicking 3.4 and having four score assists.
Euroa’s Gleeson and Giobbi brothers were the key players, statistically speaking in that match for Euroa.
Andrew Smith had 29 hit outs and 17 possessions, along with six clearances to break even with Kane Morris (17 disposals, 19 hit outs and eight marks).
In round 13 Euroa had 23 more contested possessions than Echuca, and 26 more possessions overall. An amazing statistic considering Echuca won the game by 62 points.
Echuca lost the clearance count and had only six more inside 50 entries, its precision kicking (66 per cent efficiency) giving it the scoreboard advantage.
Mitch Wales had 26 disposals and coach Andrew Walker 22 touches in the win. Smith and Morris broke even in the ruck and Kirkby kicked four goals straight from 10 disposals and eight marks (four inside 50).
In the last meeting between the pair Echuca turned the contested possession count on its head, winning 143-112 and had 36 more disposals overall.
Echuca took 20 inside 50 marks to Euroa’s five and for the first time in 2022 won the clearance count between the pair.
Walker’s 30 possession/11 clearance game was a standout and Angus Byrne could have increased the 74-point win if not for a 2.5 return.
He had 21 touches and 10 marks, playing second fiddle to Kirkby (13 kicks, seven forward 50 marks and a 6.2 return).
Smith led the hit out count 32-16, but took only two marks compared with Morris’ six.
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