Gallery | Magnificent Mooroopna returns to top spot

A strong third quarter from the Cats – the side’s downfall a week prior – proved to be the difference as Mooroopna pulled away to clinch a 39-31 victory over the Magpies on Saturday afternoon.

Following a surprise loss at Echuca in round nine, Mooroopna slipped out of top spot and behind the Pies for the first time in more than a month.

Top spot was on the line as the two sides faced off at Euroa’s Memorial Oval, with the Cats returning to the A-grade summit on the back of a strong second half.

“It was a really great game. Coming in we knew that Euroa were going to be a really strong outfit and they definitely were,” Cats captain and ring defender Maddison Wong said.

“We spoke throughout the week about the pressure we needed to put on from the get-go and I think that was the difference in the end.

“We really wanted to put together a four-quarter effort and I think the girls did that.

“It is great to win against any team. We really respect Euroa and the outfit that they have.”

The week prior it was a costly third term that hurt the Cats against the Murray Bombers, with Echuca outscoring Mooroopna 18-6 to blow the contest wide open.

However, this week it was that same period that swung the match Mooroopna’s way.

After leading by two at half-time, a 12-8 third stanza against Euroa allowed the Cats to open up what would prove to be a decisive, game-winning advantage.

Wong said the third quarter had been a key focus for the Cats all week following the loss to Echuca.

“After last week we knew it was the third quarter that lost it for us with the 12-goal difference,” she said.

“We think it was just a lack of pressure and hands up, so at training throughout the week we had a super big focus on putting hands over the ball and going for those little one percenters.

“The girls had a really positive mindset. We knew what we did wrong last week against Echuca and we had a big focus on that. It was really pleasing to see the girls try to rectify that and I think we did, which is great.”

As to be expected in a top-of-the-ladder clash with first place on the line, it was a fierce contest from the get-go.

With the intensity high, Wong said it was her side’s defensive pressure that helped the Cats gain the upper hand.

“All the girls stuck one-on-one, played a really hard man-on-man game,” she said.

“There were no rest moments for anyone. Even when the ball was down the defenders’ end, our attackers were still putting pressure up on the line.

“Ella Ogier got some fantastic balls up on the transverse line and little efforts like that made the difference.”

With a 9-1 win-loss record, Mooroopna now sits a game clear on top spot on the ladder, four points ahead of Euroa and its next opponent following the bye Tatura.

With the top six sides closely matched, Wong said the Cats wouldn’t be getting too far ahead of themselves despite being in first place.

“We still haven’t played Tatura yet and they are going really, really well,” Wong said.

“We are just focusing week on week and the team that is put up in front of us next week, that is all we are looking forward to.

“We are still trying to find our right combinations throughout the entire court, but we are really lucky that we have a lot of flexibility and great depth.”