Mooroopna hopes for last day heroics over Echuca to make finals

Mooroopna could become the Carlton of the GVFL, missing finals after being inside the top six all year. Here’s what they have to do to avoid it.

The Mooroopna Cats are hoping lightning doesn’t strike twice.

After Carlton’s heartbreak in the AFL last week, the Cats are also in danger of missing the finals despite being in the top six all season.

Mooroopna, currently fifth heading into the final round of the Goulburn Valley Football League season, is one game clear of both Kyabram and Seymour.

Needing a win to seal a fianls spot the Cats face ladder leaders Echuca who have not lost a game all season.

A Cats loss and wins by Kyabram over the Shepparton Swans and Seymour over Shepparton United would consign Mooroopna to seventh.

John Lamont is hoping his team can defy the odds to make finals. Picture: Mark Wilson

“It’s the same situation as Carlton last week,” Mooroopna coach John Lamont said.

“We’ve been in the finals all year and it gets down to this game where we just need to win it.

“All we can control is the game we are in.”

Lamont said the team knows it will be tough to beat Echuca.

“We’re not under any illusions, they are undefeated,” he said.

“(In our last game against them) we were more than competitive for a half, they were just stronger in the back half of the game.

“We got belief from that.

“We’re looking forward to it, it’s going to be a great challenge.

“It will be an upset if It happens.

“Sport is littered with upsets and we’ll be aiming for another one.”

Lamont said the team would need to shut down former Carlton player Andrew Walker and former Glenelg forward Ruory Kirkby to be any chance.

“We can’t afford him (Walker) to be running amok,” the coach said.

“We will be in all sorts.

“Kirkby, an ex-Echuca junior, he got five against us last time and we’ll need to keep him under wraps,

“(Echuca) are undefeated and they have a really even mix but we’ve got to make sure those blokes aren’t running amok.”

Win, lose or draw, Lamont is staying at the club for next year, keen to build on the success of 2022.

Lamont said his club was on the right track even if Saturday resulted in a disappointing outcome.

“One of my cornerstone objectives is to have a winning season, I want people who come to watch us have more winning days than losing,” he said.

“Against the three best teams, we just came up short and the same against Kyabram.

“Whilst we will be disappointed (to miss) after being in the top six all season and it’s a bit shattering we are in a growth and development phase as a group.

“So we’ll lick our wounds and attack pre-season and get ready for round 1.”

But the team is keen on playing finals.

“It’s great we’re in a game of that great nature (against Echuca),” Lamont said.

“Our playing group is craving this.

“We haven’t been in the final for the best part of 10 years.

“The game like this fast tracks our development.”

Mooroopna takes on Echuca at their home ground, the Mooroopna Recreation Reserve at 2.35pm.