THE 2025 Golden Rivers season looks set for a grandstand finish after Moulamein recorded a a 16-point win over Wandella on Saturday.
With five rounds remaining, both the Swans and Bombers find themselves locked in a battle for fourth spot, with the 12.10 (82) to 9.12 (66) result giving Moulamein their fourth win for the season.
The Swans had first use of the scoring end which they took full advantage of with a six-goal to one opening quarter giving them a 33-point lead at the first change.
It was the second term where the result was ultimately decided however, with Wandella kicking 2.6 and wasting their opportunities to make inroads on Moulamein’s lead.
With his team needing to secure the four points to stay in the finals hunt, Moulamein co-coach Brodie Tonkin was delighted with his team’s ability to adjust to the challenging conditions post-match.
“It wasn’t a great spectacle as the wind was favouring one end but was going across the ground as well creating a bit of a dead pocket,” Tonkin said.
“It was pretty simple footy but when we went with the wind, we obviously utilised the far side and then when we’re going against the wind, we just always made sure we took it out to the dead pocket.
“It was really boring football with repeat stoppages and going long down the line but it was also effective and it didn’t really matter how it looked just as long as we got the four points.
“Regardless of whether we won or lost, our season would have still been alive but if we had have lost it, we would have gone two games outside the top four and that would have made it pretty challenging.”
Another key factor in Moulamein’s win was the return of forward Brett Kennedy, with the enigmatic forward returning from injury to kick a game high five goals for the Swans.
Kennedy was a clear standout both up forward and through the midfield, while Trae Atkinson also played perhaps his best game for the season.
After a disappointing performance seven days earlier against Murrabit, Tonkin was impressed with his players’ response defensively.
“I think we got our pressure right between the arcs this week, it was certainly better than last week that’s for sure,” Tonkin said.
“We had Matt Edwards go back as a full time defender and he was really helpful down there and then inside 50, our forwards had a really good day with goal kicking and pressure.
I think the most pleasing part was that we came out with with a real plan and strategy of how to play with the challenging conditions and the boys played them perfectly.
“The only time we probably went away from the strategy was patches in that third quarter and we sort of allowed Wandella to get a sniff.”
After trailing by 29 points at half time, the Bombers managed to work their way back into the match in the third quarter despite kicking into the wind, with the home side narrowing the margin to 13 points by the final break.
With their season on the line, the Swans rallied in the final term, holding the Bombers at bay as the home side again failed to make the most of their chances in front of goals as they kicked just two goals from six scoring shots in the final quarter.
Along with Kennedy and Atkinson, Moulamein’s Morgan Turvey was another strong contributor, with William Gibson, Ely Miller and Adam Saunders.
Justin Robinson was named the best for the Bombers, with John Cooper, Logan Tuohey, Jack Radcliffe and Tim Robinson also among Wandella’s better players, with Adam Ward also providing plenty of run and carry off half back.
Moulamein will host reigning premiers Ultima at their next outing, with the Roos securing a dominant 68-point win over Murrabit on the weekend.
Despite sitting second and third on the ladder, the Blues proved no match for the home side, who booted 15-goals to five after quarter time to run out comfortable 19.15 (129) to 8.13 (61) winners.
Dustin Burns and Jye Purtill both kicked four majors for the Roos, while Murrabit’s Adam Thomson also kicked four goals in the defeat to be among his team’s better players along with Bryden Morison, Bailey Pengelly and Brody Palmer.
Tom Bull was a standout for the Roos, along with Cameron Johnson, Mitch Seton-Stewart and Darcy Farrell.
The final match of the round resulted in a comprehensive victory to ladder leaders Hay, who accounted for Macorna by 184 points.
The Lions showed little mercy in the 33.13 (211) to 4.3 (27) win, holding the Tigers to just a solitary behind for the entire first half while piling on 17 goals of their own.
Jack Headon and Declan Watson would both finish the afternoon with seven goals, while Dean Aylett and Justin Ellis each contributed five majors for the Lions to round our the win.
