Rochester has been rocked by 92 points by a high-flying Eagles outfit at Moon Oval, condemned to a 0-2 start to its 2026 Goulburn Valley League campaign.
Coming into the clash as visitors against its preliminary final opponent of 2025, Mansfield coach Mitch Wareham played down the motivation to avenge its finals loss, but was “over the moon” with the thumping result.
“Over the off-season we’ve worked to slightly change our game,” Wareham said.
“It’s already starting to show and come to the fore on game day now, which has been great.”
Rochester had an early first quarter lead thanks to goals from Felix Fogaty and Hamish Heine, but at the siren, trailed by eight points after a pair of red time goals for Mansfield.
That was where the competitive contest ended, however.
A second quarter blitz saw the Eagles pile on 16 scoring shots for a yield of 56 points, while the Tigers could only scramble three behinds in a quarter where nothing went the way of the yellow and black.
Mansfield’s Billy Hogan kicked three in the second term to take his first half count to four, while Will Foster booted two in the period.
By the half, Rochester’s credibility had been stripped, staring at a 61-point deficit on its home turf against the side it quelled in last year’s preliminary final.
Wareham praised the work of Mansfield’s high half-forwards as the key for the term’s scoring success, naming Brett Mahoney, Sam Thomson and Will Foster, players who have lessened their midfield minutes to play a significant role at the forward arc.
“Across the board we’ve been really strong but our half forward line really stood up,” Wareham said.
“Brett Mahoney, who’s been a prolific midfielder for some time, has gone into a half forward role, same with Sam Thomson, Will Foster.
“Those smaller high half forwards have begun to click and help us lock it in the forward 50.”
Heine continued to ply away in the forward half for Rochester after the main break, kicking two of the Tigers’ three goals in the third term as Mansfield’s margin was slightly reeled in by eight, but another quarter with the breeze saw the Eagles go big again, kicking six goals and seven behinds to five minor scores to defeat last year’s runners-up 19.20 (134) to 5.12 (42).
Foster and Harry Mahoney’s three respective goals each landed votes in the best for the Eagles guns, while Billy Hogan top-scored with six goals for a second consecutive week.
Andy Henderson was best on in a day to forget for Rochester, while star midfielder Cooper Hamilton also impressed alongside Heine and his three goals in the Moon Oval mauling.
Rochester will be required to defeat an undefeated Echuca if it is to avoid a 0-3 start to its 2026 campaign, while Mansfield currently sit atop the GVL ladder and will look to continue its momentum against Seymour in round three.
“They’ve been a side I think has flown under the radar, and their wins and losses over the last couple of years don’t really reflect the quality they are,” Wareham said on Seymour.
“They’ve got a couple big players, Riley Mason and Jack Murphy, so we’ll pay them their respect.”
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