Sport

Moama prevails in thriller against Deniliquin

By Alexander Dabb

Jul 23, 2023

The heart rates were through the roof in the final minutes of the senior football clash at Moama Recreation Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

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Equal parts excitement, tension and nerves were coursing through the crowd, and with a minute to go, the result was still uncertain.

It was a special day for Moama, who was hosting its first Indigenous round, with Damien Saunders performing a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony before the clash got under way, while Aunty Neva Takele explained her jumper design to the crowd.

Celebrating culture: Damien Saunders performs a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony as part of the Indigenous round celebrations. Photo by Alexander Dabb

Moama got off to a fast start and dominated every facet of the contest for the first 15 minutes, kicking the first three goals of the match.

Deni eventually settled into the contest, levelling things up at the coalface and finding space on the wings before firing home the final three majors to enter quarter-time one point ahead.

The Pies dominated proceedings for much of the second term as Jobe Shanahan kicked an early major and continued to generate inside-50s with slick ball use through the middle of the ground, but were unable to find any further score.

Deni capitalised on the few looks it had, marking on the half-time siren and slotting the goal from 45m out to retake a one-point lead at the main break.

An arm wrestle played out for the opening 10 minutes of the second half, with each side kicking a goal, before the Rams threatened to break the game open.

The big bodies of the visitors got to work in the middle and on the rare occasion Moama went forward, the attack was stifled by a Deni defender who moved the ball swiftly to a teammate in space on the wing.

Proud: Aunty Neva Takele and Dede Atkinson wearing the senior football jumpers they designed for Moama’s Indigenous round. Photo by Alexander Dabb

Three goals to one for the term, including one 30 seconds before the siren sounded, put Deni up by 12 points heading into the last, and looking likely to run over the top of Moama.

It was an arm wrestle to start the last, but Moama got on top after being awarded a free kick at half-back.

Kyal Atkinson took the advantage and played on through the middle, sending the ball long to Tom Sheldon, who made no mistake from long range, trimming the margin back to five points.

With the crowd at full voice, the Pies were doing all the attacking and a Shanahan mark and goal from 25m out handed Moama the lead for the first time since early in the third term.

The lead was extended again shortly after when Shanahan took a huge grab at half-forward before hitting Tom Sheldon on a strong lead, giving Moama an eight-point buffer with 20 minutes played.

The Rams continued to surge and, with 26 minutes gone, split the middle of the big sticks to bring it back to less than a kick.

But it was ecstasy for Moama as the siren sounded less than a minute later, prevailing 8.11 (59) to 8.8 (56) in an enthralling encounter and ensuring it remains in the hunt for the top two spots with four rounds to go.

Skipper: Jack Russell rises for a mark between two Deniliquin players. Photo by Alexander Dabb

Stuart Taylor, who stood up in the last quarter, said the Pies never panicked and stuck to the process.

“We had to stick to four quarters and we knew that if we did that, it would be thereabouts at the end,” he said.

“We probably felt like we were playing a bit better than the scoreboard said and we just stuck at it and it went our way in the end.”

Coach Sam Sheldon was proud of the effort his side showed, grinding out a win against the grain.

“Deni, their last month has been probably as good as anyone’s in the league,” he said.

“We knew that coming in they were in form, so I couldn’t be prouder of the boys.”

With a bye before the final three games of the home-and-away season, the win is hugely significant for the Magpies as they prepare for a finals assault.

Celebrating culture: Moama’s Jye Warren in the Indigenous strip. Photo by Alexander Dabb

“To create belief within yourself and within your group, you’ve got to be able to push through those little milestones during the year,” Sheldon said.

“When a few things aren’t really going your way, and then you somehow find a way to win, that just goes really a long way to building that self-belief.”

After securing a finals spot with the win, Moama is within touching distance of the top two and is starting to focus on September.

“We want to dream big,” Taylor said.

“We want to think about going all the way, that’s why we play footy.”

It was a message reinforced by his coach, who took the players into a private meeting post-game.

“You’ve got to let your mind go there and then put a little bit of a plan in place for how you’re going to achieve it or how you’re going to get there,” Sheldon said of his side’s September prospects.

“I think once you do that, you then forget about the end result, it’s all about the process. That’s what it’s all about. The goal is obviously to win the flag.”