Murray Football League reserves premier Congupna. Photos: Rechelle Zammit
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Rechelle Zammit
Congupna went the long way to the Murray Football League reserves grand final.
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But a fleet-footed Road showed no signs of battle weariness as they produced a scintillating second half that delivered their first flag in three years.
Vanquished by three points this time last year by Moama, Congupna flipped the script on the Pies on their home turf in the 2026 decider to prevail by 50 points, booting eight goals to two after half-time to put the finishing touches on its revenge tour.
“We obviously lost the grand final this time last year to them,” Congupna coach Dylan Minutoli said post-game.
“Moama is a terrific side. We got together again last year and thought we're going to have another crack.”
Two men that would have a big say on the contest under perfect Moama sunshine was Sam Barbuto and Ben Fulford, and it was the latter who opened up the account for The Road.
Riley Chilver sharked an inside-50 stoppage and snapped truly for the Pies first of the day in reply, but Congupna skipper Spencer Gillespie’s major closing in on the first break handed his team an eight-point buffer.
The Road’s Wade Bonham and Moama’s Dan Green helped their sides trade goals, but a zippy Fulford slotted his second of the day to extend Congupna’s half-time lead to 15 points with the game still in balance.
It was Fulford who ensured the beginning of a sequence that ensured it didn’t stay that way.
A five-goal tear in the third started with Fulford, who booted two in the space of a minute, with Josh Chapman, Lachlan McMahon, and Sam Brodie joining him to make it six unanswered goals for Congupna.
A Pies cohort led ably by Jake Cardilini, Callum Harding-Davies and Tim Scadden battled to regain control, but the damage was done, and Fulford’s fifth of the game, followed by a pair to Matt Bell in the final stanza, led Congupna to a 12.10 (82) to 4.8 (32) triumph.
The Road’s speed and fitness proved the difference and no-one epitomised that more than Sam Barbuto, who left Moama with best-on-ground honours.
“Our leg speed really opened it up,” Minutoli said
“Sammy's been really unlucky. He’s played seniors pretty much most of the year.
“So for him to not only cop that on the chin but come out and dominate today, just speaks volume to the person he is.
“Every player from one to 22, they did an amazing job.”
The reserves win also proved the perfect curtain-raiser, with The Road’s seniors joining them on the premiership dais in the main game after defeating Cobram by eight points.
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