Moama pulls off grand final upset as Tigers miss out on silverware

The Pies, boosted by the return of Coates Talent League gun Jobe Shanahan in his second under-17s appearance this year, handed Cobram its first defeat of the season at Moama Recreation Reserve on the back of a scintillating second half of footy, one where the home team booted eight goals to two.

Cobram matched Moama’s early pressure and trailed by six points the first break, however it would be the last time the Tigers got within striking distance as the Pies piled on 11 goals to three after quarter-time.

Defender Ciaran O’Sullivan flew the flag in defence, while teammate Hunter Hardwidge was the Tigers’ best along with Max Lebner, Paulie Degei, Adam Champagne and Jaxon Webb.

After losing to the Tigers on both occasions earlier this year, Moama made no mistake to run away 54-point winners.

“It’s phenomenal,” Moama coach Rob Hogan said after the thirds’ sixth flag in eight seasons.

“A lot of these boys have been here since Auskick.

“They worked hard and they’re a great bunch of mates.

“No matter how many games they play together, they really do gel together; they have a sixth sense of how each other plays, which is fantastic.”

Jett Keam got Moama off the mark, but it was a dominant Shanahan who set up the Pies’ early charge.

His two first-quarter goals and supreme aerial ability drew the crowd’s appreciation.

Lachlan Hogan’s successful set shot saw the Pies hold an eight-point advantage at the first break despite Tigers leaders Lucas Roberts and Koby Withers hitting the scoreboard.

Mitch Bell opened the account in the second term before Moama skipper Liam Hearn struck to extend the lead to 19 points.

Max Lebner responded for Cobram, but a lack of discipline on the wing handed Moama’s Will Street a 50m penalty and a successful set shot on goal.

With a 20-point buffer, a Shanahan toe-poke goal kickstarted a run of four unanswered goals, with Curtis Wood and Bell getting in on the action before Shanahan’s fourth and final goal all but put the nail in the coffin for the Tigers.

Withers’s second and Jaxon Webb’s first drew Cobram back within 32 points, but Tom Naujok’s long-range bomb early in the fourth quarter put any hopes of a comeback.

The final siren saw Moama erupt in celebration after a comprehensive 14.5 (89) to 5.5 (35) victory.

The Pies’ midfield of Lachlan Hogan, Sam Hooppell and Mitch Bell was unstoppable, while the backline duo of Oscar Richards and Archie Peat were stifling.

But the aerial ability of Jobe Shanahan proved pivotal all day in his second game of Under-17s for the season, and with four goals, the Murray Football League Rising Star was best on ground.

Though it’s an honour he wasn’t expecting.

“Definitely not. I had a good first quarter, I think, but in the second quarter, someone landed on my leg, so I thought I was done,” Shanahan said.

It was his teammates he was swift to thank.

“These boys have done all the work,” he said.

“I’ve only played one other game, so I’ve been lucky to come in. They’ve done most of the work.

“Straight out of the middle, our midfield was elite today. (Cobram) just couldn’t go with us.”