GVL | Gallery | Mooroopna breaks eight-year finals drought with stunning upset over Echuca

A win that will forever live in the history of Mooroopna Football Netball Club, the Cats showed that talent can only get you so far, with their hunger and desire to win lifting them to the epic 12.5 (77) to 10.11 (71) triumph.

They also did what no other side has done in 2022, topple the Murray Bombers in the third term.

Echuca, on multiple occasions this season, has dominated opponents in the third term, however, the Cats had other ideas.

An incredible four-goal burst in the latter stages of the third quarter served as the catalyst for the win.

This came after the Murray Bombers booted the first four goals of the game to leave the Cats on the brink at quarter-time.

And whether it was the three straight magical goals from spearhead Chris Nield to put the Cats ahead, star recruit Jackson Trengove standing tall with two critical majors, Ethan Hunt and Ben Hicks’ herculean efforts through the midfield or Jack Johnston’s critical intercepts across half-back.

Mooroopna fans will look to countless moments of heroism in that second half as they revel in the spoils ahead of this weekend’s elimination final against Rochester.

Struggling to contain his emotions in the aftermath of the incredible victory, Cats coach John Lamont said his team “got what it deserved”.

“This group of young men thoroughly deserve to play finals footy, and the evidence of that was for all to see out there today,” an emotional Lamont said.

“Echuca had four on the board early to our nothing, so we just had to slowly claw our way back in, stick on task, and these boys have been terrific all year with their ability to fight it out.

“Our theme heading into the game was just ‘why not us’, we spoke about how upsets happen in sport, and today I saw our boys pull off a great one.”

With the sun beaming down on Mooroopna Recreation Reserve, you could smell finals football in the air, and Echuca took full advantage with a brutal first term.

Reminding the packed Cattery crowd just how dominant a football team they are, the Murray Bombers went into the first change 21 points clear and seemingly on their way to ending Mooroopna’s season.

With their backs against the wall, Lamont’s men needed a spark.

And it came in the second quarter, as they managed to get their running game going and overpower Echuca on the outside of the contest, giving their dangerous forwards a genuine crack.

This is where Nield came to the fore, getting involved in the contest with a crucial major in the shadows of half-time to bring belief to his team.

Kicking three goals to Echuca’s one, Mooroopna closed the margin to nine points at the main change, but came out of the sheds knowing its opponent had been the king of the third term all season.

And when Echuca kicked the first major after half-time the match appeared to be going down a similar path.

But the Cats had other ideas.

In what was one of the most stunning scoring bursts we had seen all season, the home side found a second wind, booting four goals in 10 minutes to hit the front and then seize control of the match.

“There were a few things we knew we had to get right in that third term to stay in the game, being the direction of our kicks and some of our around ball movement,” Lamont said.

“But it was around the contest where we lifted, our boys willed themselves to win those 50-50 balls, and that was what turned the game around.

“Football is about critical moments and in that third term we won the critical moments.”

Now finding itself seven points ahead at the final change, Mooroopna would have to hold firm in a gripping last quarter.

Some Nield magic would extend the margin beyond two goals in the opening minutes, as the crowd started to murmur the F-word.

The teams would then trade majors, before a Mooroopna double capped by Trengove had it 17 points clear and on its way to September.

But as it always does Echuca kept coming, as it began to get on top in the centre and struck back hard with two quick majors to cut the deficit to within a goal.

As tensions rose, the action would sway from one end of the ground to the other, before a booming final siren sent the Cattery into raptures as the locals celebrated the end of the drought.

Lamont said the victory was a landmark day for the club and was happy to bring joy to the success-starved Mooroopna faithful.

“It is great for this club and these guys, especially those who were part of those lean years, this means so much,” he said.

“For years Moooroopna people have come to the footy and at quarter-time it’d be eight goals to one, so the objective all year has been to be competitive and in the game at three-quarter time to give our people something to cheer about.

“I take this job incredibly seriously, we’ve worked so hard all year and today we saw just how special football can be.”

Finishing fifth on the ladder, Mooroopna now prepares for an elimination final against fourth-placed Rochester this weekend.

While Echuca will be looking for a swift response as it faces second-placed Mansfield in a blockbuster qualifying final.