MFL | Gallery | Tongala prevails over Moama in Murray League epic

Seemingly destined to become Moama’s third consecutive top-four scalp, the Blues dug deep in front of their home crowd. They quickly reduced the margin back to single figures, before Corey Nexhip was infringed with after taking a mark, gifting him a 50-metre penalty which he duly converted into a major to see Tongala to a memorable 9.11 (65) to 9.10 (64) triumph.

After arguably the game of the Murray Football League season to date, Tongala coach Jordan Souter was full of praise for the fight his team showed to get over the line.

“It was a fantastic day for our footy club. Obviously the game could have gone either way with both sides playing great footy on the day,” Souter said.

“Being two goals down late in the last quarter, it shows the true colours of our players to never give in and to get across the line is massive for our group.

“Over the past couple of years we probably haven’t had any really close games like that, so it was a great experience for us as well leading into the finals.”

The day began with both teams locked on 11 wins apiece and it was a hot start at Tongala Recreation Reserve, with both teams cracking in hard around the contest.

While the Blues had the better of proceedings around the contest, they couldn’t quite make it count on the scoreboard, registering 2.5 to Moama’s 2.2 to hold a slight three-point advantage at the first change.

Those fortunes around the sticks turned in the second term, as Tongala’s stars got well on top and capitalised to put through three goals to Moama’s one, opening up a comfortable 15-point lead at the main change.

But having defeated the competition’s top two sides in Mulwala and Cobram the previous two weeks, you could always tell Moama was going to come.

And for the Magpies it all started in the third term, when they regained ascendancy around the ball to trim the margin to 11 at three-quarter time, before beginning the final term with a bang to hit the front.

Tongala once again relied on its star power in the closing minutes, with the likes of Cameron Illett, Brock McLean, Nick Jamieson and Ryan Nyhuis all getting busy and willing it to a stunning one-point win.

“We just had belief in ourselves and never gave in really,” Souter said of his team’s mindset in the closing minutes.

“They got 11 points up with only four or five minutes to go, and while it would have been easy to put the cue in the rack, we just kept battling away and the game turned.

“That never give up attitude is something we’ve always prided ourselves on and it was great to see it pay off like it did.”

It was a massive victory in the context of Tongala’s season and Souter said the side would take a mountain of confidence from the match as it prepared for a tense finals series.

“It has kept our top-two aspirations alive, which was great, but the evenness of the competition is shown in the fact that we dropped a spot on the ladder after a win,” he said.

“So for us, we just need to keep winning, and yesterday showed that our best is capable of beating anybody in the competition.”

Around the grounds, Congupna continued its charge towards September with a gritty 12.11 (83) to 10.1 (61) win over Finley on the road.

Stepping up in the absence of spearhead Daniel Campbell, skipper Daniel Schaper was the star up forward, booting six goals, while Jimmy Boyer was prominent through the midfield to be named best-on-ground.

Cobram returned to the winners’ list with a clinical 19.19 (133) to 7.3 (45) win over Echuca United.

Tyron Baden was the focal point up forward for the Tigers, booting eight in a best-on-ground performance.

Deniliquin Rams recorded a 20.13 (133) to 4.5 (29) win over Rumbalara to maintain its stranglehold on sixth spot on the ladder, while Mulwala rocketed back up into the top two with a massive 25.23 (173) to 5.4 (34) win over Barooga.