Kyabram's Riley Ironside lines up for a kick during the Bombers’ semi-final win.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Kyabram flexed its muscle when it mattered most, overpowering Mansfield by 82 points in a Goulburn Valley League semi-final demolition that punched its ticket straight to the grand final.
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The Bombers jumped out of the blocks at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve on Saturday, slamming home 7.5 to 1.1 in the opening quarter to effectively end the contest before it had a chance to settle.
Coach Corey Carver admitted it was a refreshing change.
“Something we haven’t been doing. We’ve traditionally been slow starters a little bit, so I just thought energy was high and we moved the ball really well,” Carver said.
“From the get-go, we moved the ball really swiftly and we defended really strong. Things just sort of clicked in the first quarter.”
The first break set the tone and, while the Eagles had their moments with the breeze, Kyabram’s defensive structures and ball use never wavered.
For Carver, the response carried extra weight given Mansfield had pipped them by a point in round 16.
“We said a few times, in both times we played them, they were really solid base defence and offence,” he said.
“We reviewed pretty strongly during the week just to make sure we were good to go against a really quality side. Once we were rolling and the energy was up we just had to maintain it, which we were able to do.”
Kyabram’s scoring dominance was lopsided across quarters.
The Bombers outscored Mansfield 89-7 in the first and third terms combined, but the second and fourth were actually a dead heat at 43 points apiece.
Carver wasn’t reading too much into that split.
“There was a breeze, so there’s probably a couple of goal breeze going one way, which would indicate that,” he said.
“We just had to defend really strongly, particularly into it. We were able to do that, which was good.”
The Bombers’ forward half was again led by Tom Holman, who bagged five goals.
His presence has been central to Kyabram’s finals surge.
“His form’s great. He’s playing really well at the right end of the year,” Carver said.
“His hands were good and, once he’s one-out against his opponent, he’s a pretty strong chance of marking it because he’s got such good hands.
“His forward craft’s good, his stoppage work in our forward 50 is really good as well. Hopefully he has one more game like that.”
Following the win, Kyabram earns a week off and, for Carver, it’s about recovery and preparation, not relaxation.
“Recovery early … then we’ll have a strong session Thursday with that weekend off. It’s all business along, certainly no rest,” he said.
“You just get a little advantage, those sore spots that guys have got, handy to have a week. It’ll be good for a couple of our older guys particularly.”
Whether it’s Rochester, Echuca, or even Mansfield again, the Bombers know their next challenge won’t be straightforward.
But after an 82-point September statement, Kyabram looks every bit like a side ready to charge into another grand final.
