Rovers’ three-peat complete

All hail the Wangaratta Rovers – the dynasty is real. For the third time in as many years, the Rovers are premiers of the Ovens and Murray senior football competition, standing tall in Sunday’s grand final over fierce rivals Wangaratta Magpies by 35 points, 15.14 (104) to 9.15 (69). The match got off to a red-hot start, with high pressure and heavy hits right from the siren. The Rovers had the early momentum, with Mitch Hardie kicking the first of the day after clunking a contested mark in the goal square. Noah Scholte snared the Rovers’ second, but it would be Wangaratta’s Morris Medallist Jackson Clarke who would lift the black and white, making the most from a selfless centreing kick from Aidan Tilley. A strong forward 50 tackle from Sam Cattapan on a flat-footed Cam Barrett would lead to the Rovers’ third of the day, but it was their midfield which was driving the show. Last year’s Did Simpson Medallist, Will Christie, pushed the margin to 19 points with a glorious finish from long range after he was paid a somewhat contentious mark over the back of Lachie Di Sebastiano. The Magpies looked lethargic, the Rovers were up and about, and it was an 18-point lead the way of the brown and gold at quarter time. The Rovers continued their onslaught, opening the second term with a goal through Dylan Wilson, who leapt on a tumbling ball out the back and soccered it through for the major. The ball lived in the Magpies’ defensive 50 for most of the opening stages of the second term, and the intensity kept rising, with spot fires popping up across the ground – the Derby was alive and kicking. Wangaratta just looked out of sync, but worked their way into the quarter, with a clutch mark from Clarke on the goal line leading to his second goal of the day, the margin back to 20 points midway through the second. Brad Melville got in on the action with a goal, benefitting from an interception from Lachie Kennett coming out of the Rovers defensive 50. The Magpies had a golden chance to make the Rovers pay on counterattack, but James McClounan missed an open goal from 20m out – fortunately for the black and white, McClounan was awarded a free kick for taunting from a Rovers defender, and made the most, kicking the goal. Suddenly, the Magpies were within seven points of the Rovers, but Stuart Booth executed a tight finish from the point post to dribble it through for the major to keep some breathing room on their rivals. Dylan Wilson found his second goal late in the term, a lucky snap gaining a favourable bounce into the vacant goal square, but in the celebration, he appeared to pull up short, and was seen limping to the bench with a suspected Achilles injury. As the half-time siren sounded, the Rovers were up by three goals, 7.7 (49) to 4.7 (31). The pressure of the day was starting to get to the players, with Wangaratta’s Jackson Hewitt receiving a free kick at the edge of the centre square, played on, had nothing to go to, turned it over, and it resulted in a goal at the other end courtesy of Rovers’ Ed Dayman. The Rovers were expertly set up behind the ball, cutting off any foray forward, and even if the Magpies did get out the back, desperate tackling and dogged defence would pay dividends more often than not. Magpies’ Oscar Roberts found himself on the edge of 50 and was lining up for a shot on goal, but Xavier Laverty was taken down behind play, resulting in Roberts being marched to the top of the goal square and putting it through. One of the marks of the day was taken by Lockey McCartney, climbing over Cam Barrett tight in the pocket about 40m from the Rovers’ goal – further, he was able to run around the mark, launch to goal and slot it. The Magpies were kept in it thanks to a rundown tackle from Brad Melville inside the ‘Pies forward 50, with the experienced campaigner going back and putting it through the big sticks to keep the margin to 22 points. James McClounan found his second crumbing at the feet of Laverty and snapping with a favourable bounce, with the Magpies trailing the Rovers by just 16 points at three quarter time. With one quarter to play and the cup on the line, both sides got a rev up in the huddle and came out, ready to give it their all. It was the Rovers who drew first blood of the final term, with coach Sam Murray getting on the end of some slick ball movement in the goal square and kicking the goal. Lochie O’Brien gave the brown and gold something else to cheer about after bending one back on the run from 55m and bombing it on his left for the goal. Wangaratta’s Xavier Laverty answered and found his first of the day with a mark by the point post, going checkside from the set shot to keep them in it. Desperation was setting in for the Magpies, with every player throwing the proverbial kitchen sink at it. Jack Mapleson stood up and slotted an important goal for the black and white in the 12th minute of the final term, but bigtime Rovers star Brodie Filo pegged one back from a stunning kick from 45m out on an angle. The Rovers were impeccable down the line, with big Ed Dayman clunking some crucial marks and maintaining possession as the clock ticked down. Tom Boyd took a massive mark in the attacking goal square for the Rovers, but with cramp setting in, chipped the ball laterally to Mitch Hardie, who kicked true and all but put the final nail in the match. Lockey McCartney kicked the sealer with 22 minutes on the clock, but the Magpies were determined to fight it out to the last, however, there was one last twist. McCartney bumped a Wangaratta player as the contest spilled over the boundary, and Tyson Young came in and started swinging away at McCartney. Tensions boiled over and a fracas ensued, and once the dust settled, Young and Keiren Parnell were sent from the ground – play resumed, but the sting was out of the game. Will Christie kicked a junk-time goal, and after a 35-minute fourth quarter, the siren sounded, and the three-peat was complete. Wangaratta Rovers’ Ed Dayman was named the Did Simpson Medallist for the second time, for his dominance in the air and in the ruck, gloved up and battling a hand injury.

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Wangaratta Chronicle, Friday, 18 September, 2026

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