Rovers reserves outlast Tigers in stunner

It came down to the wire, but Wangaratta Rovers are reserves premiers in the Ovens and Murray Football Netball League for the first time since 2007. The Hawks got the job done over Albury Tigers 8.10 (58) to 8.8 (56), but it was far from a walk in the park at the Lavington Sports Ground on Sunday. The Rovers shot out of the gates in the first quarter, kicking the first four goals of the game in 14 minutes, dominating around the footy and up forward, with the Tigers only managing three minor scores through the opening term. Oscar Clelland started the avalanche of scoring, running loose after bringing the ball to ground and snapping on his left into an open goal square. Clelland received a downfield free kick minutes later and converted to give the Rovers their second. The Rovers defended hard and counterattacked brilliantly, with Tristan Lenaz kicking their third after fumbling the mark, but made it count on the scoreboard. After Charlie Lugg burst through a forward 50 stoppage and thumped it through, the Rovers had a 27-point lead, with Sam Comensoli bombing a shot from downtown to make it a 33-2 quarter time score. Albury found their first of the day from a centre clearance in the opening minute of the second term, but Justin Lewis pegged one back minutes later. Albury started to get their game going, but such was the Rovers’ ball control and structure behind the ball, they were generating repeat forward 50 entries and heaping the pressure on the Tigers’ defenders. The Rovers led by 23 points at the major break, and looked completely on top of the Tigers – but it’s called the premiership quarter for a reason. Albury responded, booting four of the first five majors in the third term to squeeze the margin back to single figures, before Sam Rourke found a settling goal. With their tails up, the Tigers kept asking the right questions, with the margin sitting at just seven points at the final break. The fourth term started as an arm wrestle, with Rovers unable to get the ball past Albury’s big full back Fletcher Hart. Neither side was able to fire a shot through the first 15 minutes, but the Rovers had the scoreboard and time on their side, and every stoppage was a step closer to the flag. The first goal of the term was kicked almost 19 minutes into the final term, with Albury’s Eddie Ziebarth bringing the margin to just two points, and Rovers managing only a behind in response. Rovers fans had a heart attack late in the piece when the defenders were chipping the ball across the backline to take time out of the game, but a mistake caused a turnover and resulted in an Albury shot on goal – thankfully for the brown and gold, it was just a minor score, and when the siren blew, the Rovers were home, with Justin Lewis named best on ground.

Rovers reserves outlast Tigers in stunner

Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 18 September, 2026

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Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 18 September, 2026

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