Longwood's Brayden Klemke and Avenel's Braydon Hardstaff take the fight for possession to the ground.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
It was mooted last week, but on Saturday, Longwood made it reality.
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Fifteen years after joining Kyabram District League, the Redlegs will be playing senior football finals, with their 18.9 (119) to 8.3 (51) victory over Avenel at Longwood Recreation Reserve at the weekend ensuring they will play on past the home and away season.
Longwood's William Pointer and Avenel's Paul Arandt compete in the ruck.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
With plenty on the line and a home crowd behind them, the Redlegs made a brilliant start to the contest, opening up a 27-point lead by quarter-time courtesy of a five-goal-to-one quarter.
If there was any doubt about how hungry Jordan Formosa’s troops were to extend their 2025 campaign, it was surely dispelled by half-time, with the second quarter all but putting the game to bed.
Another five goals were added to the Redlegs’ total, while again Avenel mustered one, leaving Longwood 52 points to the good at the main break, so close to securing a finals berth that it could probably taste it when munching on the oranges at half-time.
Avenel's Braydon Hardstaff is pressured by Longwood's Rhys Cason.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
But there was still a job to be done and the Swans made it clear they would not accept defeat as the two sides returned to the field for the third term, outscoring the Redlegs with a five-goal return of their own to trim the margin, albeit ever so slightly, to trail by 49 points with the final quarter still to play.
Avenel's Jack Carroll gets his kick away over Longwood's Dillon Hardy.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
With half an hour of football standing between themselves and an historic achievement for the club, the Redlegs picked up the pressure and intensity in the last term, again limiting Avenel to a solitary goal, while putting the icing on the cake with another four of their own, widening the gap to 66 points as the final siren sounded.
The victory not only ensures Longwood will break its decade-and-a-half finals drought, but also keeps it in with a shot of finishing fourth, given Nagambie’s recent woes, with the Redlegs and the Lakers now sitting level on 40 points in fifth and fourth, respectively, each with one game left to play in the regular season.
Longwood's Jye Formosa was named best on ground in the win.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
The Lakers faltered in their round 16 clash at the weekend, too, making it three losses from their past four games, the latest a shock a 41-point defeat at the hands of Violet Town.
Nagambie trailed by one-point at quarter-time, but kicked one goal over the next two terms as the Towners romped to a 15.13 (103) to 9.8 (62) victory at Violet Town Recreation Reserve.
Elsewhere, Stanhope was dealt a blow to its finals hopes, with the seventh-placed Lions defeated by 11th-placed Tallygaroopna, the Redlegs securing their third win of the year with a 12.10 (82) to 7.11 (53) victory.
Liam Patterson moves the ball forward for Longwood.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Reigning premier Murchison-Toolamba belted Girgarre to the tune of 163 points at Girgarre Recreation Reserve, the 26.17 (173) to 1.4 (10) shellacking dominated by James Lloyd, who kicked a bag of 11 goals to move to 90 majors for the season.
But the Hoppers’ win wasn’t even the biggest of the round, with Shepparton East keeping Undera goalless at Central Park to record a monster 28.30 (198) to 0.2 (2) triumph.
Sunday’s sole fixture had Lancaster host Merrigum at Lancaster Recreation Reserve, with the Wombats piling on the goals in a 35.30 (240) to 0.3 (3) romp.
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