Shepp Swans' Sam Bicknell battled hard in a major early-season test at Mooroopna.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
The Shepparton Swans overturned an early deficit to claim a 21-point win over Mooroopna in its opening round Goulburn Valley League clash.
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Mooroopna made the brighter start in front of the home crowd, kicking four goals to two in the first quarter to take a handy lead into the first break.
The Cats looked sharp early on and and were duly able to capitalise on their chances in front of goal.
However, the Swans steadied in the second term, lifting their pressure around the ball and beginning to find more control through the middle of the park.
While Mooroopna still held a narrow advantage at half-time, the momentum had started to shift coming into the break.
That shift became clear in the third quarter, as the visitors started to gain a foothold in what proved to be a test of mettle for both camps.
From there, the Swans took control of the contest with a strong spell from then on - piling on five goals to one to turn the game on its head.
Coach Linc Sullivan reflected positively on his Swans side’s ability to stick to its system, which ultimately proved the difference in Mooroopna.
“I’d say the most pleasing thing was our playing style,” the Swans helmsman said.
“We’ve trained it throughout pre-season and there were periods, especially part-way through that third quarter, where we were able to get the game on our terms.
“It was a real arm wrestle up to half-time and they probably could have been a couple of goals up, so we had to work to get that momentum back.
“There was no rev-up at half-time — it was about reinforcing how we wanted to play and setting up properly behind the ball.
“Once we got players in the right positions and won a bit more at stoppages, we were able to change the momentum.”
Sullivan also praised James Auld, who finished with five goals on the day.
“He’s a terrific athlete and really hard to play on,” he said.
“He can get up and down the ground and expose his opponent, and he did a fair bit of that.
“I’m really delighted for him because he works hard on his game.”
In addition, Sullivan suggested the performance should sharpen his side heading into next week.
“We’d only had one practice match and a training camp, so we were a bit underdone,” he said.
“It probably took until after half-time to get our game plan in check.
“But once we understood our style and adjusted, I thought we executed it really well.”
Mooroopna continued to fight on until late in proceedings, but the Swans remained composed to secure the 62-83 win.
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