Star Roo forward Kaelan Bradtke takes a good grab on the 50m line for the seniors.
Lavington 4.3, 4.7, 6.11, 11.13.79.
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Corowa Rutherglen 4.1, 7.2, 7.4, 8.5.53.
Goals: Lavington: Nick Newton 2, Tim Oosterhoff 2, Harryson Barber 1, Aidan Cook 1, Jack Costello 1, Shaun Driscoll 1, Jack Glanvill 1, Nick Sedgwick 1, Alex Swinnerton 1.
A stronger first-half showing from Corowa-Rutherglen was ultimately overshadowed by a rampaging Lavington Panthers side who stormed home to claim a four-goal victory.
Roo Mitch Scott looks to kick long towards the Roo forward line.
The Roos entered the clash with a sense of justified optimism. The belief was evident from the first bounce as Corowa-Rutherglen took the fight straight to the Panthers.
Kaelan Bradtke continued his ominous form, posing a constant threat to Lavington's defenders and helping the Roos control the early stages.
Liam McCarthy was outstanding, launching himself at every contest and finishing with multiple goals to provide an excellent foil up forward.
In defence, Riley Irvin and Cody Schutt were critical early. The duo was rock solid, restricting Lavington’s tall forwards and allowing the Roos to head into halftime with a strong lead and growing confidence.
Roo Riley Irvin about to deliver a long handball to a teammate.
Darcy Melksham was another standout, working tirelessly along the wing to collect 27 disposals and hold his position well under pressure.
Jedd Longmire, who celebrated his 21st birthday at the weekend, also made a strong return to the lineup after a week with Werribee, getting plenty of the ball and driving it forward consistently.
At the main break, the Roos led 7.2.44 to 4.7.31. However, the second half told a different story.
Corowa-Rutherglen lapsed badly after the main break, opening the door for Lavington to pounce.
The Panthers took full advantage, dominating the latter stages and turning the game on its head to run out convincing winners, 11.13.79 to 8.5.53.
The Roos, left to rue a missed opportunity after such a promising start, will now look to bounce back next week when they face Wangaratta at home, as the second round of the fixture cycle begins.
Darcy Melksham looks to pass to a teammate.
Reserves unable to match Panthers’ rage
Lavington 16.15.111 def Corowa Rutherglen 3.4.22.
The Corowa-Rutherglen Development Squad was eager to continue their strong form but faced a tough challenge in ladder-leaders Lavington.
A blistering start from the Panthers had the Roos on the back foot early, with scoreboard pressure mounting quickly.
Shepherding, and off and running, Roo pair Bailey Pirnag and Taj Smith combine in the development squad.
Despite the game getting away from them, standout efforts from Elijah Amery and Mitch Scott gave the Roos a fighting edge.
The pair combined well across the ground and led by example with their pressure and work rate.
The side was missing key players, with Deaken Clancy and Fletcher Parker stepping up to the senior team.
This opened the door for the return of Sam Carpenter and the inclusion of Joel Price. Both made valuable contributions and displayed strong leadership throughout the match.
Development’s Deky Yates kicks the football into attack.
The Roos lifted their standard in the second half. Although the result was largely decided by then, the group showed resilience and refused to let the game spiral out of control.
Their commitment to staying competitive to the final siren was a positive takeaway.
While the Roos went down by a sizeable margin, they’ll now look to reset and refocus for a must-win clash against Wangaratta next week – a crucial game to stay a step clear in the fight for fifth spot on the ladder.
Goals: K Kuschert 1, D Yates 1, M Scott 1.
Best: E Amery, L Hegney, B Minogue, M Scott, D Yates, J Richardson.
Under 18s fought on
Lavington 12.11.83 def Corowa Rutherglen 6.5.41.
The Corowa Rutherglen Under-18s fought hard in a tale of two halves on Saturday, falling short to a fast-starting Lavington Panthers outfit in a challenging round nine contest.
Thirds action with Jayden Forge clearing the football out of the Roos’ defence.
Played under cool, dry conditions, the Roos were slow out of the blocks at Lavington Sports Ground.
The home side stamped their authority early, kicking two unanswered goals in the opening term while Corowa struggled to find clean ball movement or forward entry.
The second quarter mirrored the first - only more punishing. Lavington piled on five more unanswered goals before half-time, opening up a commanding lead and leaving the Roos with plenty to think about at the main break.
But to their credit, the Corowa-Rutherglen boys responded with grit and determination in the second half.
Deagan Purcell was superb playing behind the ball, providing much-needed composure and intercept work across half-back.
Jay Lavis helped spark the side into action, using his pace and precision to find targets and generate meaningful run through the corridor.
Defender Angus Coghill was once again a rock in the backline, repelling repeated forward entries and showing great discipline under pressure.
Lucas Webb wheels around to kick to a Thirds teammate.
Acting captain Brodie Eyres stepped up brilliantly in the absence of regular leadership, delivering a classic captain’s performance and setting the tone with his effort and voice around the contest.
Up forward, Jonah Massey-Chase lit up the second half with three outstanding goals, injecting belief into the side and helping reduce the margin.
The Roos’ momentum continued with the return of Jayden Forge, who slotted two majors of his own after making his senior debut the previous week against North Albury.
While the final result didn’t go Corowas way, the spirit shown after half-time was a sign of what this group is capable of when firing on all cylinders.
The Roos now turn their attention to the second half of the season, where they’ll look to bounce back strongly against the Wangaratta Magpies this Saturday at John Foord Oval.
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