Ovens & Murray: Yarrawonga defeats Wangaratta by two points in epic final quarter shootout

Wangaratta has lost again in an unforgettable match against reigning premiers Yarrawonga. See the star player injured for the struggling Magpies.

Wangaratta’s disastrous start to the Ovens and Murray league season could get worse with star midfielder Daniel Sharrock facing another serious knee injury.

The Magpies have slumped to 0-4 in a season that started with high expectations they would be one of the big threats to reigning premier Yarrawonga.

The Steve Johnson-coached Yarrawonga survived a stirring second half fightback from Wangaratta on Saturday to win by two points following five lead changes in the final term.

Yarrawonga recruit Perry Lewis-Smith sealed the win with two last term goals including the last of the match at the 30-minute mark, a snap from the pocket, to give the Pigeons back the lead.

Sharrock, who suffered a season-ending injury in 2018, left the ground on a stretcher in the last term with the Magpies leading by 10 points after Callum Moore had almost single-handedly dragged Wangaratta back into the match with five goals to the last break.

Yarrawonga coach Steve Johnson. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Wangaratta had trailed by 29 points at half-time after being blown away early by the Pigeons.

“The last quarter was a grand final-like atmosphere,” Johnson said.

“We were just lucky to be ahead at the end of the game, but it looked like it had got out of reach for us with two or three minutes to go.

“We were the able to drop some numbers behind the ball to try and soak up a few of their entries late.”

Both teams threw caution to the wind in an unforgettable final term that saw Yarrawonga and Wangaratta kick six and five goals respectively.

Matt Casey was brilliant for the Pigeons in the final term, booting a goal to regain the lead before Moore responded with his sixth for Wangaratta.

Casey also clunked two superb marks to hold up the Magpies and won a crucial free kick in the middle of the ground.

Wangaratta’s Callum Moore, right, kicked six goals against Yarrawonga. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Wangarattta has been in a winning position in all four matches this season.

It’s 0-4 record is not helped by prime movers Brad Melville (hamstring) and Patrick Naish (pectoral muscle) missing on Saturday and the fresh injury to Sharrock, who won the club’s best and fairest last year.

Sharrock will have scans on his knee early in the week to determine the full extent of the injury.

Wangaratta sits eighth on the ladder and plays another winless team, Myrtleford, next week.

Surprise packet North Albury, Wangaratta Rovers and Yarrawong are all 4-0 and the competition for two other finals spots is already intense with Wodonga, Albury and Lavington already with at least two wins.

GOULBURN VALLEY

Echuca overcame the absence of a long list of star players to beat Mooroopna by 14 points and remain undefeated in its pursuit of a third successive premiership this season.

Mooroopna, one of only two teams to beat Echuca in the last two seasons, started promisingly and went into half-time with scores level.

But sensing a threat, Echuca grabbed the ascendancy with four goals to one in the third term despite missing Sam and Ben Reid, captain Will Monahan and VFL listed players, Sam Willoughby, Logan Prout and AJ Mills.

Gus Byrne booted three goals and Jack McHale starred in the centre.

Echuca meets another undefeated team Euroa next round after Euroa beat Kyabram by three points after a late soccer goal to Lachie Hill regained the lead.

Euroa was missing first year coach Ryan Pendlebury and star playmaker Jett Trotter due to suspension.

But Nic Burke, Jacob and Jayden Gleeson and Andrew Smith lifted in their absence and Will Hayes was all class in his his first match of the season.

Kyabram star recruit Mick Mattingly missed again with injury.

Benalla and Shepparton United played an 8.12 (60) apiece draw.

WANG FINALS HOPES ON LINE

Ovens and Murray flag fancy Wangaratta is staring at the grim prospect of an even worse start than last season when it was dealing with the fallout of a salary cap breach.

Wangaratta began 0-3 in 2023 when it couldn’t earn points from the first two rounds.

After recovering to finish a troubled season in third spot, Wangaratta finally had clear air to make amends, but is again 0-3 after losses to Wangaratta Rovers, North Albury and Wodonga.

Wangaratta recruited strongly with the full-time return of homegrown star Brad Melville and Patrick Naish, who it had to reluctantly release 12 months ago because of the player points it had also lost as part of the cap-bust penalties.

On Saturday, Wangaratta faces the team it beat in the 2022 grand final that also went onto win last year’s premiership, Yarrawonga.

The Magpies will again be without Melville because of a hamstring injury.

He was sorely missed last week, when the Magpies coughed up a four-goal lead at home early in the final quarter.

Wangaratta coach Ben Reid retired at the end of last season. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Coach Ben Reid has retired as a player and premiership defender Dylan van Berlo has joined Rutherglen in the Tallangatta District league.

Wangaratta finds itself in a similar predicament to Corowa-Rutherglen in 2003, which began that season as a premiership contender and started the season disastrously.

Corowa-Rutherglen slumped to 2-5 and scraped into finals with only 11 wins and a draw before becoming the first O&M in over two decades to win the flag from the elimination final.

Another loss to Yarrawonga and Wangaratta can forget about the double chance.

Yarrawonga is below its best with 2022 Morris Medallist Leigh Masters out with a knee injury and Mick Gibbons again dealing with a hamstring injury.

Former VFL midfielder Perry Lewis-Smith has been selected to debut for Yarrawonga after he had to complete a suspension that carried over from last year.

GOULBURN VALLEY

Echuca will face another early season test against Mooroopna on Saturday minus Sam and Ben Reid due to injury.

Echuca and Mooroopna have 2-0 records with Mooroopna one of only two clubs to beat Echuca in the last two years.

Ben Reid has a calf injury and brother Sam has been sidelined with a quad injury that could make it difficult for him to lead the GV against Ovens and Murray in their annual interleague fixture next month.

Echuca’s Sam Reid is sidelined with a quad injury. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Bendigo league recruit Baxter Slater will debut for Echuca.

Slater has played the last three seasons with Strathfieldsaye and won the Bendigo league’s under-18s best and fairest with Gisborne in 2018.

Mooroopna has been bolstered by the addition of Murray league 2021 O’Dwyer Medallist Coby McCarthy and VFL midfielder Angus Hanrahan.

Nathan Drummond has been among Mooroopna’s best players in the opening two rounds against Kyabram and Benalla.

Meanwhile, Euroa has been weakened by a swath of suspensions from its win against Tatura last week.

New coach Ryan Pendlebury heads the list of players rubbed out.

He was suspended for two matches for engaging in rough conduct and Jett Trotter was also outed for two games for making unreasonable or unnecessary contact to the face of an opponent and engaging in a melee.

Darby Wilson was outed for one match was instigating and engaging in a melee.

Tatura’s Matt Rennie was suspended for two matches from the same game.

Meanwhile, Euroa star Will Hayes has been picked to play his first match this season.