Down and seemingly out 10 minutes into the third quarter of its final against Shepparton Swans on Sunday at Euroa, Kyabram was trailing by 26 points for the third time in the game.
The Swans had applied physical pressure and running power to have the Bombers on their knees, and supporters were just waiting for the Swans to deliver the knockout blows.
How wrong everyone was.
In a seven-minute period of inspired champagne football, the Bombers transformed themselves from the hunters to the hunted.
Inspired by co-captains Zac Norris and Aiden Robinson, the Bombers ignited to kick four goals in five minutes.
Robinson set the mood with the first goal, then Jack Russell, Jack Sinclair and Rueben Rode followed immediately.
Robinson then slotted the fifth unanswered goal a few minutes later, to take Kyabram into the lead — a lead which they built on in the last term when Rhys Clark and Kaine Herbert both nailed two goals each to give their side what was a match-winning lead and ultimately a 12-point win — 15.19 to 14.13.
Clark found the goals elusive for three quarters, with five behinds from set shots, but hit the bullseye twice when it was needed.
Robinson’s aerial power was always a worry for the Swans, and Sinclair and Herbert’s two goals each were absolute gems and real morale boosters for their teammates.
In the first half, Max Clohesy, Oliver Warburton, Quade Johnstone, Sam Bicknell, Adam Fichera and Nathan Rachele were dominant for the Swans with their leg speed, and combined with tenacious tackling, seemingly had the Bombers at their mercy.
But when ever-reliable ruckman Norris got right on top after half-time, Kyabram’s engine room players in Herbert, Russell, Coby McCarthy and Josh Dillon rose to the occasion to wrest the initiative back in their team’s favour for the first time in the game.
Herbert and McCarthy were good all game, with McCarthy playing his best game for the season.
The Bombers’ defence was under massive pressure in the first half, and again, 40-year-old Jason Morgan was the standout, with Cooper Vick also standing his ground in a solid contribution.
Brad Whitford wasn’t at his breathtaking best, but like his fellow defenders stuck to his task under heavy fire, particularly in the first half.
As the highest placed winner of the two elimination finals in the first weekend of the finals, Kyabram won itself a double chance for remaining finals.
It meets Echuca in a qualifying final at Kyabram this Sunday.
This clash presents the chance to go straight into the season decider or get a second chance the week later in the preliminary final against the winner of this weekend’s other final between Shepparton and Mooroopna.
My best for Ky were Kaine Herbert, Coby McCarthy, Zac Norris, Jason Morgan, Aidan Robinson, Cooper Vick and Josh Dillon.
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