Two from two

For the second time this season, Myrtleford Saints had the wood over one of their nearest rivals, the tricolours storming home with a 13.11 (890 to 9.6 (60) win over Wangaratta Magpies. Hosting the black and white at McNamara Reserve for the league’s NAIDOC Week round, the Saints dominated the centre square and kicked cleanly, opening up a 25-point margin by quarter time. Not to be outdone, the classy Magpies pivoted and started winning it out of the middle bringing the gap to a single goal by the half. Myrtleford regained control through the third but were unable to make the most of their looks inside their forward 50, kicking 1.6 through the third quarter and leading by just 10 points at the final change of ends. The ‘Pies tried to stymie the flow of footy heading Myrtleford’s way, but the Saints proved too classy, kicking four goals to on through the fourth term to secure the points by just shy of five goals. Saints coach Craig Millar said the game was largely won and lost at centre bounces. “We had a big focus during the week on playing a certain way against Wangaratta and we were able to execute on that,” he said. “We had the ascendancy at centre square bounces in the first quarter but we lost it in the second. “It was definitely at stoppages in the second quarter, it gave them first use of the ball inside 50, and some beautiful kicking helped them out. “We’ve had other teams who have been on a roll and we haven’t been able to stop that momentum, so that was a really disciplined and mature way to finish off the half - our leaders really stood up when they had to and wrestled that back.” Riley Smith and Mitch Tenardi were impactful at stoppage, while Delcan Bren slotted two goals in his 50th senior appearance for the club. The Saints were lifted by their twin towers at either end of the ground – Brady Sharp did an excellent job down back on the dangerous Xavier Laverty, while Ryley Sharp led all comers with five goals up forward. “It was a reasonably strong performance, and I was pleased some of our important players started to find some form, particularly Ryley Sharp, he was outstanding for us,” Millar said. “[Xavier] Laverty, in a patch of about 10 minutes he kicked three goals in the back end of the first quarter and early in the second. “We sent Brady to him and he didn’t really have an influence on the game after that, so that was a real positive - Brady’s spent a long time out of the game, so it’s good for him to be playing some good, consistent footy.” The Saints will host eighth-placed Yarrawonga this weekend with a chance to bridge the gap with the top four. Myrtleford fell to the Pigeons back in round four, so there’s an element of playing for pride on the line. “It sounds a bit cliché, but we’ve just got to keep taking each opposition as it comes,” Millar said. “We were really disappointed with the way we played against Yarrawonga earlier in the season – we established a reasonably strong lead, then to give that up and lose the game was really disappointing, so I know that’s fuelled the fire in a few of our players. “We can’t do that to any team, Yarrawonga are only two games behind us on the ladder – they’ve had probably an inconsistent season compared to what they had in the past, but they’re still a pretty dangerous outfit when you come up against them, and we will not be taking one thing for granted this week.” In other matches from the weekend, the reserves belted the Magpies 12.5 (77) to 1.7 (13), while the third went down 2.1 (13) to 19.12 (126).

Two from two

2026 O&M fixture set

Sharp, Talerico reappointed as O&M interleague footy coaches

Save the date: O&K fixture revealed for 2026

Toby’s chasing his football dream out west

Third time’s the charm: Mountain Men claim first senior flag in 21 years

Rufous Whistler – arrival of a summer songbird

Bombers go back-to-back in A grade

“No stone unturned” – Police committed to the long-haul in manhunt

Start your engines, Wilby Drags are back

Most popular stories