Koondrook Barham River Raiders and the 2019 Central Murray Football Netball League Back-to-Back Premieres, Woorinen Tigers, broke the local Australian Football League drought in front of a large crowd at the Barham Recreation Reserve Thursday evening for a practice match.

Due to COVID-19, the Central Murray Football Netball League did not hold a 2020 Championship. The evening was also the first time the new Koondrook Barham River Raiders Clubrooms were used for a senior football game after being upgraded from a junior oval to the primary competition oval, including a new digital scoreboard.

The practice game scores were not kept; however, both sides managed to kick the ball into a post, and Woorinen seemed to be able to convert when the ball was in their forward line while also making it difficult for the Raiders to score with their Tiger defence. There definitely would have been some sore bodies struggling through Friday.

Future practice matches are planned before starting the 2021 Central Murray Football Netball League Premiership Season. A practice match is scheduled for this weekend (March 20) at Deniliquin. There will be a warm-up game at the Barham Recreation Reserve, where the Raiders will face Tyntynder on Saturday, April 10, before the beginning of the 2021 Premiership Season on April 17 against Cohuna Kangas.