Jordan Eyers clears the ball for the Roos at John Foord Oval on Saturday.
Corowa 5.9 39 def by Yarrawonga 10.8 68
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Goals: Bradtke 3, Hansen, Lane 1
Best: Emmett Northey, Jy Lane, Jackson Richardson, Charlie St John, Joe Hansen, Elijah Amery
Corowa-Rutherglen will be left to rue missed opportunities after falling to Yarrawonga in a five-goal see-sawing contest on Saturday.
The Roos entered Round 5 searching for a 3-2 start for the first time since Peter German’s tenure in 2022, but despite several momentum swings, they were unable to capitalise in key moments as Yarrawonga ran away with a 29-point victory.
Angus Massey debuted for the seniors in the Roos match against the Pigeons on Saturday.
The game burst into life early, with the ball ping-ponging between both sides before Max Findlay opened the scoring for the visitors three minutes in.
Corowa-Rutherglen responded quickly through Joe Hansen, who scored his first major five minutes later to get the Roos on the board.
The second term continued the arm wrestle.
Kaelan Bradtke marks the ball for the Roos.
Kaelan Bradtke stood tall with his first goal inside the opening seven minutes before Yarrawonga responded through Charlie McKenna and Lewis Henley to push the margin back out to 13 points.
A feel-good moment arrived for the home side when Jy Lane launched a booming 45-metre goal in his first game back for the Roos since 2022, sending the home crowd into celebration.
Moments later, Bradtke added his second major to keep Corowa-Rutherglen within striking distance.
There were also encouraging signs from young ruckman Emmett Northey, with the 17-year-old Murray Bushrangers product competing strongly in the ruck and providing an important contest around the stoppages.
At half-time, coach Daryn Creswell challenged his side to seize the moment, declaring “it’s there for the taking” as the Roos searched for their first home win over Yarrawonga since Round 3, 2004.
The message hit home immediately as Bradtke nailed his third goal just one minute into the third quarter, handing the Roos the lead for the first time in the match.
Joe Hanson looks for the handball.
Jackson Richardson and Charlie St John continued their impressive development, producing another strong performance after building consistency across the past three weeks, while Elijah Amery once again stood tall with a solid contribution through the midfield.
However, missed opportunities inside 50 and some wayward kicking proved costly.
A turning point came when Raven Jolliffe was issued a yellow card, halting Corowa-Rutherglen’s momentum at a crucial stage.
With Corowa down a man off the ground for 15 minutes, Yarrawonga capitalised emphatically.
Ben Coghill, Willie Wheeler, Tyler Lovell and Cam Wilson all hit the scoreboard during a damaging burst that opened up a three-goal buffer and swung the game firmly in the visitors’ favour.
Needing another comeback effort reminiscent of their fightback against Albury earlier in the season, the Roos searched for a fast start in the final term.
Will Axelby kicks forward.
Instead, Yarrawonga maintained control, applying relentless pressure and forcing Corowa-Rutherglen into errors by foot.
The visitors proved too strong in the closing stages, securing a 29-point win and leaving the Roos to regroup ahead of next week’s trip to face Myrtleford Saints in the mountains.
Development Squad
Pigeons too strong for Roos
Corowa 3.7 25 def by Yarrawonga 17.9 111
Goals: Eder, N Amery, Obrien.
Best: Bill Hansen, Josh Eder, Noah Amery, Sam Carpenter, Harley Ralph, Luke Accuri.
The Development Squad took on Yarrawonga determined to improve on recent performances and prevent the opposition from getting an early jump.
The Roos welcomed back several familiar faces, with former players Bill Hansen, Harley Ralph and Luke Accuri providing valuable support and experience around the group.
Corowa was able to match Yarrawonga’s intensity early, with Rory “Juice” O’Brien lifting the side with a superb long-range major that gave the boys confidence and momentum.
Sam Carpenter was once again among the action, collecting plenty of disposals across half-back and combining well with league stalwart and senior assistant coach Sam Livingstone to generate drive from defence.
Noah Amery continued his strong form, proving once again to be a critical cog in the side.
His work rate around the ground and timely goal helped steady the flow when the pressure mounted.
Despite the Roos’ efforts, Yarrawonga proved too strong in the end, pulling away to record a comfortable win.
Corowa will now turn its focus to Myrtleford, with the group looking to respond with greater intensity and a stronger start next week.
The Corowa Rutherglen Under 18s faced a tough challenge against equal ladder leaders Yarrawonga, showing plenty of fight despite the difficult contest.
The young Roos made a positive start, with Archie Turner kicking the opening goal just two minutes into the first term to give Corowa Rutherglen early momentum.
Austin Ross Anderson was outstanding throughout the day, displaying composure and skill under pressure to earn Corowa’s best player honours.
His efforts were important in helping the Roos stay competitive and prevent Yarrawonga from taking complete control of the match.
Vice-captain Noah McSweeney added an important goal in the second quarter to trim the margin and inject belief into the group as they battled hard against Yarrawonga’s slick ball movement and clean ball use.
Beau Benton, Archer Coppolino, Jensen Perna and Brooklyn Mawson all showed encouraging signs throughout the match, using their run and carry to drive the ball forward while also displaying composure under pressure.
Ryan Parsons added Corowa’s third goal in the final term, with the young Roos continuing to compete strongly until the final siren despite Yarrawonga eventually pulling away on the scoreboard.
While the result didn’t go their way, there were plenty of positive signs for Corowa Rutherglen to take from the performance.
The Roos will now look to break their losing streak next week when they travel to take on Myrtleford, presenting a strong opportunity to get a win on the board and continue building confidence within the developing young side.
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