The youngest Roos' played the third placed Raiders Blue at Wodonga.
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The first term was a little one sided with the Raiders mids running both ways and making it hard for our forwards to get into space. Jagger popped up and kicked our first to trim the lead to 14 points at the break.
The Raiders’ mids continued in the second and gave their forwards plenty of opportunity. If not for the usual suspects in the backline, the half time margin would have been greater than the 26 points on the scoreboard.
Will and Browny were rock solid, and Tyler was having his best game for the season. Finny was owning his wing and kicked one for the quarter and George and Billy Hunter were in everything.
No half-time lollies might be the secret because after half-time, the lads were red hot. The mids were on top, and the forwards played in front. Finny, Sonny, Tommy and Jagger all kicked majors, and 4-1 to no score saw the margin cut to just a point at the final break.
The Raiders kicked the first two of the final quarter, and when Jack Ractliffe slotted through an opportunistic goal, the difference was only seven points. In an arm wrestle of the last six or seven minutes, the Raiders defenders were able to repel forward our entries, and when the siren sounded, we were ten points adrift. It was a great game of footy by all.
Final score: Corowa 8-6-54 defeated Wodonga Raiders Blue 7-2-44.
Awards: Projectura – Finny, Sportspower- George. TH Kitchens- Tyler, Corowa Meats- Billy H, Maloney Real Estate- Browny, Gyles Newsagency- Tommy B.
Under 14s
The Under 14 Roos looked to Sunday's game against Wodonga Raiders as an opportunity to make a statement to the rest of the competition.
Having been wiped out by the Roos earlier in the season, the Raiders came out with a clear game plan and looked to execute. The weather was perfect for footy, but the centre of the field was churned up, making the ball slippery.
Fumbling from the Roos meant that opportunities were not always capitalised upon. A good build-up play from Roy and Levi created the opportunity for Eli to step around the defender and slot the first goal of the match. However, despite some strong work from Harry at the back, it was only limited accuracy that stopped the Raiders from hurting the Roos.
The second quarter was wet and scrappy, with lots of effort from both sides. Archie delivered some really strong work at the back, keeping the boys in the game and Huddo Bilney continued to dominate in the half-back line.
Will Massey was as hard-working as ever but found limited space. However, the boys weren't always willing to put their heads over the ball, something that was demanded of them in the half-time huddle.
In the third quarter, the Roos looked to be more industrious as they shifted the ball forward. Levi managed to snag a goal, but the pressure was really on the defensive line. Cooper and Huddo K worked hard to repel the Raiders' advances. Josh Hunter was industrious with a soapy ball. The Raiders snagged a goal back, and the scoreline started to tighten. The Roos took a narrow 2-point lead into the final term.
Strong running from Jake Witherden helped set the tone in the final term. A goal to Leo from a difficult angle helped to settle the boys, but maybe too much, as the Raiders made a series of late flurries into the Roos' 50. A late opportunity for the Raiders was duffed, and the boys were able to hold on for a slender win.
While this was not their best match, the boys showed great heart and determination to find a way to win in difficult conditions.
Final Score: Corowa 2.4.22 defeated Wodonga Raiders 2.8.20
A battle of the top two sides at Birallee Park, and the game didn’t disappoint.
Raiders have had the better of the Roos in their last two encounters, yet it was the Roo boys who got the early jump in the first term, outscoring the opposition 2.2 to 1 behind.
It was a hotly contested ball, with the ruck and midfield proving to have the upper hand when it came to centre clearances. Emmett Northey stood tall in the ruck and had the upper hand throughout the day.
It was a tighter affair in the second quarter, with the Roos kicking 2.2 to Raiders 2.2.
The second half of the game continued to be a battle of the Titans, both sides showing why they are sitting on top of the ladder.
The Roos defence proved itself yet again to be one of the best in the competition, and Tex Longmire was too much to handle in front of goals. For the third quarter the Roos kicked 3.3 to Raiders 1.1.
The final term saw Raiders have their best quarter, yet the Roos held firm and kept the heat in the contest not giving the Raiders a chance to steal a victory. In the fourth quarter Raiders kicked 2.2 to Roos 1.3.
Final Score: Roos 8.8.56 defeated Raiders 6.6.42
Best: Tex Longmire (6 goals), Benji Hanrahan, Franklin Murray-Wright (1 goal), Jack Ford, Hunter Hall, Jordan Allan.