Atley heroics make Bright and Hamilton milestone games one to remember

By Liam Nash

Jul 16, 2023

Service recognised: GVL board member John Byrnes (left) and Rochester milestone man Mitch Bright, who celebrated game 200 with a win. Photos: Bruce Povey Photo by Bruce Povey

If there’s one man who knows how to raise the roof at Rochester, Joe Atley is it.

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The Tigers on-baller is inevitable, often head and shoulders above the bodies around him both literally and figuratively, and on Saturday he proved his worth once more as his late goal secured a one-point win over Shepparton at Moon Oval.

Celebrating the milestones of Mitch Bright (200 games) and Wil Hamilton (50 games), Rochester overturned a nine-point gap in the fourth quarter to sing the song for the third time this season.

It was sung loud, proud and by many, with Rochester coach Ash Watson making no reservations about the significance of willing across the line for Bright and Hamilton.

“It was awesome, there was a massive crowd there for the milestones and the boys celebrated pretty well,” Watson said.

“It was good to get everyone around and lift the spirits ... it was a good feeling after the game for the town and community.”

Quick hands: Rochester's Joe Atley fires off a handball. Photo by Bruce Povey

Described by Watson as an “arm wrestle”, Rochester’s grasp on the Goulburn Valley League game was matched by Shepparton in the first exchange.

Tigers midfielder Bailey Wileman kicked true from straight on to give the hosts ascendancy two minutes in, but the Bears hastily returned serve as Tyron Baden ripped the ball from Atley’s reach, handballing to Trent Herbert who grubbered home.

Up 14-12 at the change, Shepparton’s 2.3 second quarter effort eclipsed the two behinds mustered by Rochester, and a slow third stanza meant ground had to made up by the home side.

But with Bright and Hamilton’s occasions on the line, there was no way the Tigers were going to falter at the final hurdle.

Early fourth quarter goals to Seamus Henderson and Kyle Waters had a slick-moving Rochester chugging towards victory, but the Bears counteracted the charge through a neat pair of their own, the last of which was a cannon off the boot of Ned Byrne.

Charging through: Rochester's Bailey Wileman weaves through traffic. Photo by Bruce Povey

When the game finally reached its crunch, the droves of black and yellow thought they’d sealed the win when Sean Williams gathered a bouncing ball on the boundary and curved it high through the posts, but the victory shouts were muffled by the umpires as it was called out of bounds.

No less than a minute later, Atley stepped up from a set shot and reanimated the home fans for a memorable four points at Moon Oval, much to the excitement of his mentor.

“Joe’s been a consistent performer for us all year, but he was super yesterday ― he won his hard ball and really turned the game at times,” Watson said.

“A few of our defenders were good down back, Hamish Hooppell, Nathan McCarty and Matt Kellett did jobs down there and Mitch Cricelli in the ruck was really good again.

“A couple of our on-ballers, Bailey Wileman and Reid Gordon were good also, so we had pretty even contributors all over the ground.”

Atley earned best afield merits for Rochester with three goals, while Dylan Cuttriss had two.

For Shepparton, Baden’s bag of three had him named the Bears’ best performer.