An 11-point win against ninth-ranked Shepparton Swans has resulted in the Tigers moving from the bottom of the 12-team ladder to 10th and, after a meeting with second-ranked Kyabram this weekend, there is further light on the horizon.
The Tigers face Shepparton (seventh, four wins for the season), Tatura (eighth, three wins) and Benalla (bottom, two wins) in the three weeks after the Indigenous round match with Kyabram.
Rochester kicked nine goals in the final half on Saturday after failing to score in the second quarter and was still down by seven points at the final change.
Four goals to one in the final term allowed the Tigers to secure the 11-point win, 12.11 (83) to Shepparton Swans’ 10.12 (72).
Rochester officials completed a recruiting coup during the week when it secured the services of Elmore captain Dylan Gordon, but his release from the Heathcote league club did not come without complications.
Gordon, who is the brother-in-law of star Rochester forward-cum ruckman Mitch Cricelli, will play the rest of the season with the Tigers.
He signalled his intention to join the Tigers three weeks ago, before the Shepparton United match, but the initial approach was refused.
Interaction between the clubs was high during the pre-season when former Tigers ruckman Daniel Russell and goal-kicking midfielder Nathan Kay crossed to the neighbouring Heathcote league club.
Mitch Cricelli joined Rochester in 2022 after making a name for himself as a goal-kicker with Elmore at both junior and senior ranks.
Gordon did not play with Elmore in its matches against North Bendigo or Huntly, his reasons for departing based around playing alongside Cricelli.
Elmore sits second-bottom on the nine-team Heathcote league ladder with two wins and a draw — against Colbinabbin at the weekend — from 10 games.
Gordon sat out the games while waiting to be cleared to Rochester, with the paperwork completed during the week for him to become a Tiger.
He is a key defender who has played in the West Australian Football League, the VFL with Frankston and Casey Demons, in the Northern Territory Football League with Palmerston and Noble Park in the strong Eastern Football League.
Gordon started in defence with the Tigers before an injury to in-form ruckman Cricelli forced the big marking star into the goal square for much of the last half.
Hamish Hooppell and Gordon both had stints in the ruck after Cricelli jarred his knee.
Cricelli, arguably the Tigers’ best player of the past month, was restricted in his movement, making the forward move the best option.
He finished the match with only 11 disposals, well down on his output of the past month, but importantly kicked two goals in the Tigers’ third quarter charge and a third in the final term.
In the last quarter, Gordon had 12 hit-outs, two of his five inside 50s and also two rebound 50s (in a total of six for the match). He finished with 19 disposals and five tackles alongside his final quarter ruck exploits.
Gordon’s arrival comes with further good news that experienced Andy Henderson is only weeks away from his return from more than 12 months on the sidelines.
Henderson last played in round nine last season when he kicked two goals and was one of the Tigers’ best against Seymour.
Rochester will also unveil ruckman Lachy Watson in the coming weeks. He has been playing in Queensland and once cleared from concussion protocols will join the Tigers.
He played in a practice match with the Tigers earlier in the season, as did Gordon, who the Tigers had been talking to about joining them next season.
Gordon is no relation to key position recruit Reid Gordon, who has played as an undersized key forward and defender this season.
Reid had a season-high 20 disposals in the victory, taking five marks and working well alongside Sean Williams and Will Hamilton, with James McPhee sidelined for the Swans match.
Williams kicked mour than four goals for the fourth time this season and now has 28 for the year. He took four marks inside 50 and, after kicking 2.9 a week earlier in a narrow loss to Shepparton United, would have been celebrating the win harder than anyone.
All three of Rochester’s first-half goals came from irregular sources, with Nick O’Connor kicking two goals and Joe Atley the other.
The Tigers won despite having 56 less disposals, 13 less clearances, 14 less marks and only one more inside 50 entry.
They did take five more inside 50 marks and matched the Swans in the tackle count, Grant Fuller leading that charge with 11 for the match.
This week’s match against Kyabram presents a more difficult proposition, although when the teams met in round one this season the Tigers led by nine points at half-time before the Bombers kicked nine goals to two in the second half.
