After Saturday’s round 14 game against Mansfield the Bombers are now one game and percentage clear of the seventh-ranked Eagles with four home and away rounds remaining.
The unfortunate events included the absence of star teenager Nic Jephson, as well as arguably the club’s best recruit this season Bailey Tome.
Add to the mix the fact the league’s leading goalkicker, Anthony Depasquale, did not kick a goal for the first time this year and it hardly makes for a positive outcome.
Depasquale came into the game with 50 goals (and three for the GVL in the interleague game), but came away empty handed for the first time in 14 games this year.
To be fair Depasquale did spend much of his day in the midfield and finished with 20 disposals, four tackles and four clearances. He also had four goal assists and if not for inaccurate kicking (three behinds) would have been among the best players on the ground.
Then there was the temperature, which barely reached double figures at Mansfield for the game which will go a long way to deciding who fills the last place in the GVL finals.
A second half where the Bombers kept Mansfield to just one goal, after leading by 16 points at half time, set up the vital win and has the team on track for another finals series.
In the last four weeks the Bombers face Shepparton United (tenth), fourth-ranked Mooroopna, Seymour (ninth) and second-placed Shepparton. Kyabram will need to win at least two of those to reach the finals as Mansfield has Benalla (11th) and Tatura (12th) in the next two weeks.
Kyabram will be hoping Jephson and tackling machine Tome are both back to be part of that charge to the finals.
Jephson had Coates Talent League duties with Bendigo Pioneers, on Sunday while Tome has been a fixture of VFL team Northern Bullants for the last two weeks.
Without Depasquale’s contribution to the score line it was an eclectic group of goalkickers that combined to produce a winning score, Kyabram winning the game 10.15 (75) to 6.8 (44).
Tyler Norman kicked the second goal of his six-game senior GVL career, swing man Mitch Dodos took his tally to 10 for season 2024 and two players kicked the first goals of the season.
For second gamer Riley Gallivan it was the first six-pointer of his career, while Liam Dillon’s goal was his second at senior level (the first coming way back in season 2021 in his senior debut).
The defensive theme of the game, only three goals were scored in the second half, saw dominant performances from two of Kyabram’s most important players - Brad Whitford and Aidan Robinson.
The selfless Robinson had only eight disposal games, but took three vital intercept marks and led by example at the back end.
With Jason Morgan missing since round nine the role of Robinson has become important, both in leadership and as the key intercepting defender for the team.
Two of the Bombers four “mountain men” (the Mount Gravatt recruits), ruckman Marcus Khoo and mid-fielder Jackson Griffiths, were stars for the Bombers.
Khoo produced a game high 160 ranking points with his 16 disposals, seven clearances and season high 71 hit outs (10 to advantage). He also kicked a goal.
Griffiths had 29 disposals, six clearances and four tackles, along with four rebound 50s and two inside 50s - working at either end of the ground.
Co-coach Kaine Herbert (25 disposals, nine clearances, six tackles and a goal) was similarly instrumental in the win and Brad Whitford continued his rich vein of form against quality opposition.
Against top six teams Echuca, Euroa and Mansfield he has been the Bombers’ most consistent performer. On Saturday, in just his seventh game of the 14-week-old season, he had 26 disposals (including 10 intercept possessions) and took five intercept marks (more than any other player on the ground).
Bohden Learmonth had a season high 90 ranking points (19 disposals) and four clearances in the win, working with Josh Dillon (20 disposals, nine clearances and seven tackles) to give the Bombers the advantage.
Kyabram won the disposal count by 62 (300-238), took 20 more marks (including four more inside 50) and - thanks to Khoo - won the hit outs 88-38 and the clearances by eight.
They had four more inside 50s, but were out-tackled by 18.
Five of the Bombers 15 behinds were rushed through by Mansfield defenders and the best forward for Kyabram was Brad Mangan, kicking two goals to take his season tally to 17 from nine games.
The Bombers beat United by 62 points in round four, their biggest win of the season, so expectations will be high of the team maintaining its momentum before facing fourth ranked Mooroopna a week later.
15°C