Co-captain Will Chandler was one of the Roos best with two goals.
Corowa Rutherglen 9.10 64 def by North Albury 15.9 99
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Goals: Kaelan Bradtke 3; Deagan Purcell, Will Chandler 2; Ky Williamson, Tom McCaffery 1
Best: Cody Schutt, Liam Mccarthy, Will Chandler, Patrick Lavis, Will Forrest, Tom Forrest
North Albury ran away with the game to spoil Daryn Cresswell’s final match as Corowa Rutherglen head coach, claiming a 35-point victory at John Foord Oval on Saturday.
With the game effectively a dead rubber heading into the weekend, there was still plenty of pride to play for as the Roos looked to finish an inconsistent season on a positive note and Tom Longmire returning to the senior side after a week off.
It was the Hoppers who gained the ascendancy early against the young Roos, opening up a two-goal buffer through Callum Fisher and Jack King.
Corowa was forced to wait until the 14-minute mark for its first major, with Kaelan Bradtke converting.
The visitors looked the stronger side around the contest without being overly damaging, with big man Indhi Kotzur kicking North Albury’s third before Roos co-captain Will Chandler pounced to respond moments later and reduce the margin.
North Albury continued to control proceedings in the second term, booting three goals to one to put Corowa on the back foot.
Tom McCaffery provided the Roos with some relief, kicking his first major of the afternoon 22 minutes into the quarter.
A string of early misses from Corowa at the start of the third term would prove costly, with three behinds coming before North Albury responded with three of the next four goals.
The Forrest brothers played an important role in restricting the influence of North Albury’s better players, while Chandler continued to provide a spark up forward with his second major.
Ky Williamson also chimed into the action with a beauty, before Deagan Purcell clicked into gear, kicking his first goal of the afternoon 27 minutes into the third term.
Down back, Cody Schutt and Tom Forrest were outstanding for the Roos, both reading the play superbly and taking a number of strong intercept marks to keep their side in the contest.
Purcell and Bradtke also capped off impressive individual seasons by becoming the first Roos duo to both surpass 30 goals in a season since Lee Schmidt and David Clark in 2008, when Schmidt booted 77 and Clark 36.
Paddy Lavis was a standout for the Roos, racking up 32 touches in an all-round display.
Liam McCarthy was again massive for the Roos, while Paddy Lavis showed plenty of skill and composure with the ball in hand racking up 32 touches in an all-round display.
North Albury effectively put the game beyond doubt with the first three goals of the final term, leaving the Roos needing a miracle to mount a comeback.
Bradtke and Purcell refused to give in, however, combining for another major each to provide a late highlight.
While the result did not go the Roos’ way, Cresswell’s tenure still delivered some significant moments for the club.
Corowa broke lengthy droughts against Albury and Yarrawonga during his time at the helm, ending 17-year and 18-year waits for victories over the two clubs respectively.
The Roos also climbed as high as seventh during the season, their highest position since 2022, while remaining competitive in the vast majority of their matches.
Aside from three heavy defeats against Wangaratta Magpies and Myrtleford, Corowa was able to stay in games throughout the season, recording seven more wins post reset and continuing the steady progression of the club since re-emerging in 2024.
Cresswell’s final season may not have delivered finals football, but it marked another step forward for the Roos as the club looks to build on the foundations laid during his tenure.
Development Squad
Josh Eder and Tommy Allison spoil the ball, with both having strong performances in the Roos win over North Albury.
Roos romp home despite slow start
Corowa Rutherglen 9.14 68 def North Albury 7.4 46
Goals: Josh Eder 3; Rory O’Brien 2; Tommy Allison, Sam Haigh, Bill Hansen, Hayden Sampson 1
Best: Bill Hansen, Aaron Spencer, Tommy Allison, Angus Massey, Josh eder, Rory O’Brien
A slow start from the Development squad against North Albury put the young Roos on the back foot early, with the visitors gaining the ascendancy as Corowa struggled to make the most of its opportunities in front of goal.
Sam Haigh and Rory O’Brien traded blows in front of goal, with the pair going goal for goal in an entertaining mini shootout.
A wayward third quarter saw momentum begin to swing back towards the Roos, with Bill Hansen chiming in with his first goal of the afternoon.
Josh Eder provided plenty of excitement with his tackling pressure and skill, before converting his hard work into three majors on the scoreboard.
The Roos continued to build as the game wore on, eventually running over North Albury to come away with a hard-fought 22-point victory in a strong full-team effort.
Under 18s
Noah McSweeney and Max Delamere worked hard to stop North Albury in a low-scoring match.
Best: Emmett Northey, Logan Poole, Archie Turner, Austin Ross-Anderson, Noah McSweeney, Zach Arnold
Corowa’s Under 18s have capped off their season in style, producing a full-team effort to claim a hard-fought 14-point win over North Albury.
The Roos were boosted by the inclusion of senior ruckman Emmett Northey, who was able to return to the Under 18s and showcase the skills and experience he has developed throughout his seven senior games.
Northey provided a strong presence around the contest, giving his teammates plenty of opportunities to get involved and helping Corowa control the game through the middle of the ground.
Rutherglen youngster Logan Poole was also called upon to fill in and immediately made his presence felt.
Poole played an important role across the game and was rewarded with a spot among Corowa’s best players.
The Roos shared the scoring load, with Arnold, Benton, Berriman, Poole, Ross-Anderson and Turner all managing to hit the scoreboard.
With contributions coming from all over the ground, Corowa was able to withstand North Albury’s challenge and hold on for the 14-point victory.
It was a fitting way for the Under 18s to finish their season, with a strong team performance highlighting the depth and development of the young Roos throughout the year.
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