Hoppers upstage Blues to claim double chance ahead of finals

Moyhu has locked in a top three spot heading into the Ovens and King senior football finals series following a stirring victory over fellow finalists Greta on Saturday. With so much on the line as the season edges close to the finals, the Hoppers were able to get the job done by 13 points, 14.6 (90) Needing a victory to secure the double chance, the Hopper roared into the match, but they were matched by the Blues across the park. The match descended into a slogfest, with the teams trading blows and going goal for goal through the first half. While the Blues held the slimmest of leads at the main break, up on the scoreboard by just one point, it was still anyone’s game. Needing a spark, Moyhu’s ruckman Rylan Coonan started to impose himself at the contest, fiving the Hoppers’ midfield first use, which they were able to translate into a run of five unanswered goals through the third quarter. With belief growing in the team, Moyhu were able to withstand a late surge from the Blues to secure the win and a top three finish. Moyhu coach Darren Bell said the match had a finals-like atmosphere. “It was very similar to a final, they came out to play,” he said. “It was a battle of the midfields, both were going pretty well in the first half, and they kicked the first goal of the third quarter and got their tails up, but I was really proud of the boys, we went bang and kicked four or five in a row from there. “A lot of sides try to counteract us, they know that’s our strength, but we keep staying in the game until we get an opportunity.” Bell said every player across the park played their role in the win. “Our ruckman’s just grown and grown over the year, Rylan Coonan – he started getting first use of it in the third quarter and put it down our throats, we haven’t had that luxury much during the year,” he said. “We usually just try and combat the other ruckman to try and make it a 50/50, but he was just putting it to Zimma [Bailey Zimmermann], Matty Thrum and Paddy [McNamara] for about 10 or 15 minutes, and it broke it open. “They put that young [Kyle] Collisson in the middle, Al Jacka, and they’re a pretty classy pair. “It was a good game, exciting to watch, because the ball was moving up and down fairly freely, and plenty of hard contests as well.” Josh Coonan and Paddy McNamara kicked three goals apiece, while Greta’s Frazer Judd and Cody Crawford slotted nine between them. Positioned well going into finals, there is genuine belief growing at Hopperland. “It’s been a slow build in that regard all year,” Bell said. “I was excited to have North Wangaratta and Greta at the end of the year, they’re like earlier finals just to test us, and to come up trumps against both of them, now we feel we deserve to be there, and anything can happen now.” In other round 20 matches, Whorouly claimed the minor premiership with a 31.17 (203) to 6.6 (42) win over Benalla All Blacks, Tarrawingee came away with a win over King Valley 10.5 (65) to 8.10 (58), Bonnie Doon defeated Milawa 12.13 (85) to 8.9 (57), and North Wangaratta picked up a solid win over Goorambat 22.18 (150) to 13.7 (85).

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