Skipper: Moama captain Jack Russell takes a timely mark under heavy pressure, but it wasn’t enough as the Magpies fell to Mulwala by 57 points.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Mulwala has given itself an opportunity to break a 32-year senior football premiership drought this weekend, after destroying Moama by 57 points in Saturday’s Murray Football League preliminary final at Hardinge Street Oval, Deniliquin.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The Lions were clinical, too good from start to finish, with a blistering nine-goal first-term proving the catalyst for an emphatic 17.12 (114) to 8.9 (57) victory.
Mulwala would continue to grind its opposition into the ground as it kicked 16 goals to Moama’s four through the first three quarters, holding a commanding 74-point advantage at the final change.
While the Pies kicked four goals to one in the final quarter, the Lions’ focus had already shifted to this week as they gear up for an epic decider against Cobram at Moama Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
“It is a great feeling to be in the grand final, we had a game plan, some good ideas of what they were going to do and, luckily for us, it all went to plan,” Mulwala co-coach Rohan Davies said.
“A bit of luck went into it, especially with that first quarter, but our delivery to our forwards was perfect and the boys just ran so hard both ways.
“Everything went well for us, it looked like it was well coached and well executed and we just had one of those days.”
Conditions were great at Hardinge Street Oval, with a bumper crowd in to watch the preliminary final action.
Mulwala won the toss and it was a sign of things to come for the Lions as they booted nine of the first 10 goals.
Bodhi Butts got the first goal of the game inside two minutes for the Lions, before Jye Warren answered for Moama shortly after for his side’s first.
Good hands: Mulwala’s Beau Clarke takes a strong pack mark during the Murray Football League preliminary final against Moama.
But the rest of the term was all Mulwala, as it piled on eight unanswered goals to blow the game wide open.
The Lions’ ability to find players in space made it seem as if they had two extra players out on the park, as they opened up a formidable 49-point lead at quarter-time.
Mulwala shared the ball around and had seven different goal-scorers in the first term, with Jack Sutherland kicking two.
Moama needed a strong response in the second quarter, but it was Mulwala picking up where it left off as Sean Robinson goaled early to extend his side’s lead.
Again, it was Warren who answered for Moama, kicking a much-needed goal early in the term, his second of the afternoon.
The two sides then traded goals, with Gash kicking truly for Mulwala before Riley Murphy snagged Moama’s third.
The Magpies were starting to win more of the ball and most of the play was in their forward half, but they couldn’t capitalise on the scoreboard.
Moama had eight scoring shots to Mulwala’s three in the second quarter, but its 2.6 to the Lions’ 2.1 meant it could only cut the deficit by five points to trail by 45 at half-time.
The Magpies’ hopes of a second-half comeback took a blow early in the third quarter when Cameron Magher goaled to push the lead back out beyond 50 points.
The Lions kicked the next five goals to blow out the margin to 80 points, before Mitchell Bell kicked Moama’s lone goal for the quarter late on.
The result was beyond doubt heading into the fourth term and, once again, it was Mulwala that kicked the opening goal before coasting its way to the 57-point win.
“They gave us a hiding,” Moama coach Sam Sheldon said after the loss.
“They played the best that they can, they have some big boys in the midfield that did the job early.
“We were on the back foot and it just got too far gone too early. They had a plan and executed it well and we just couldn’t go with them.
“It’s disappointing to go out like that, but it has been a really good year.”
Cobram and Mulwala will now face off in the Murray Football League decider, which will be held at Moama on Saturday, September 17, with the opening bounce at 2.30pm.
The game
Mulwala 9.2, 11.3, 16.9, 17.12 (114)
Moama 1.1, 3.6, 4.7, 8.9 (57)
Goals
Mulwala: Cameron Magher, Jack Sutherland 3, Bodhi Butts, Matthew Gorman 2, Beau Clarke, Owen Conway, Tom Dow, Jackson Gash, Sean Robinson, Josh Tonna, Thomas Wilson
Moama: Jye Warren, Mitchell Bell 2, Riley Murphy, Ned Osborne, Joshua Pell, Thomas Sheldon
Best
Mulwala: Matthew Gorman, Jackson Gash, Jamie Smith, Sean Johns, Josh Tonna, Bradley Wilson
Moama: Mitchell Lake, Ned Osborne, Joshua Vick, Jordan Ives, Liam Ritchie, Jye Warren
Key moments
– Bodhi Butts kicked the first goal of the game inside two minutes for Mulwala, the start of a dominant first quarter for the Lions
– Josh Tonna boots Mulwala’s ninth goal of the first quarter late on in the term, opening up a commanding 49-point lead.
– Moama had most of the ball in the second quarter, but it failed to capitalise and its inaccuracy cost it as it could only manage 2.6
– Butts caps a five-goal-to-one third term for Mulwala as the Lions extend their lead to 74 points at the final change
– Moama fought hard until the end, finishing the game off strong with four consecutive goals
