Gallery | Cobram and Congupna produce another finals classic

Immediate intensity and heat on the football marked it a tough opening term to find scoring options, The Road the only team to score a goal, leading 1.3 (9) to 0.2 (2) at the first siren.

Cobram found its footing in the second quarter on a gusty day at Rumbalara Recreation Reserve, stamping four majors to two behinds in the term to head into the sheds with a 16-point buffer, leading the low-scoring affair with 4.3 (27) to Congupna’s 1.5 (11).

Keeping in line with the wild momentum swings of the first half, though, it was The Road that flourished post-break, and with advantage to the scoring end, Congupna outdid the Tigers’ second term efforts with a five-goal quarter, including an unanswered three-goal streak to start the second half that flung The Road back in front.

At three-quarter-time, Congupna led 6.9 (45) to 5.4 (34), but a murmuring crowd felt there was a couple more twists left to occur as the MFL titans readied themselves for another gripping finish.

With the breeze in its favour, Cobram struck first, and second.

As the clock ticked past the sixth minute of the term, the Tigers were back in front.

It was grit-your-teeth time at Rumbalara.

A goal-for-goal patch ensued, with each uppercut to the scoreboard followed by a right hook back.

The Road drove forward for its first major nine minutes into the final term, as Kyle Mueller kicked a miraculous goal, before a behind and goal eight minutes later saw Cobram stick its nose in front by two points.

Clean disposal in the nervy stages saw Congupna edge ahead again, but two and a half minutes later Cobram replied as the game headed for red time.

It took just 78 seconds for Congupna’s Keegan Donovan to slot through a reply though from a set shot 30 metres out, with The Road locking in congested footy in Cobram territory as it prayed for the ringing out of the siren.

Each second was felt an eternity for the crowd of red and white supporters, while each tick felt like it was in two times speed for the hopeful Tigers base that required one last roll of the dice to win the game.

That moment came.

In the dying seconds, Cobram launched an attack on goal, but a behind was chalked up - no more than a handful of seconds later, Congupna held possession from the kick out until the horn sounded, as the Tigers fell to a 9.6 (60) to 9.9 (63) defeat in yet another classic instalment of what is quickly becoming a famed rivalry between the two sides.

Congupna has now reached its fourth consecutive grand final, aiming to avenge its 2025 loss on the big stage at Moama Recreation Reserve on Saturday, September 19.

Cobram’s Ben Ryan’s four-goal haul topped the Tigers scoring while Bowen Calogero and Jackson Trengove were among the yellow and black’s best.

Cobram will face Nathalia this week in a preliminary final to determine The Road’s opponent in the decider after the Purples beat Tongala in Sunday’s elimination semi-final.

It was a relentless start to finish win for the Purps, with a 40-point half time lead the early punch that saw the Blues unable to turn the contest, losing 7.6 (48) to 15.12 (102).

Lower grades

It proved a rough weekend on the field as a whole for the Tigers, who failed to notch a win despite having sides facing off for a spot in the decider across the reserves, under-17s and under-14s too, though all three sides will make use of the double chance this weekend.

In the reserves, the Tigers were outgunned 3.4 (22) to 9.6 (60) by Moama, and will now face Congupna in this weekend’s preliminary final as they attempt to qualify for the grand final at the second time of asking.

The under-17s too fell victim to Moama, 4.5 (29) to 8.7 (55), and will have to overcome Deniliquin this weekend if they are to assume their spot on grand final day, while the under-14s will face Echuca United this weekend after falling to Finley 1.8 (14) to 5.6 (36).