The Bombers had a decent crack but could never get the game on their terms against a committed and hard-running opponent.
The final scoreline — 10.11 to 8.7 — flattered Kyabram because Euroa had the chances to put the result beyond doubt in the third quarter when they peppered goals but didn’t get the desired returns for their efforts.
To its credit, Kyabram hung in until the closing stages of the game and even got within a goal at the start of the last term when Tom Holman beat two opponents to kick an inspiring goal, the fourth of his five for the game.
In a forward line that has been doing well against lesser opponents, Holman was the only reliable avenue to goal for Kyabram among the team’s paltry four goal kickers for the day.
Kyabram’s defence was under siege all game but did a good job, with Lachie Smith, Jack Sheldon, Jake Parkinson and Cade Mueller in particular working overtime.
Big Erish Uthayakumar kick-started Euroa with the first two goals of the game and a match tally of four and, along with Jett Trotter and Jacob Gleeson, who both kicked two goals, was a constant concern for the Kyabram defence.
Kyabram and GVL ruckman Zac Norris was in control for most of the game in the ruck but Euroa won the ball from the stoppages more often than Kyabram, which added to the pressure it was under.
Even Zac Keogh, Kyabram’s best escapee when the ball has to be won the hard way, struggled more than usual to get into clear air.
Other onballers in Kaine Herbert and Josh Dillon worked hard to get something moving for Kyabram but Euroa’s constant pressure found out a lot of the Kyabram players.
The Bombers promoted thirds skipper Liam Francis for his first senior game and the kid from Rushworth gave a glimpse of the future with a telling pack mark in the last quarter.
If there is a bonus in defeat it was that Kyabram had six of its senior players on the sidelines.
But that is no guarantee that a return bout would see a different result.
My best for Kyabram were Tom Holman, Lachie Smith, Zac Norris, Kaine Herbert, Jack Sheldon and Josh Dillon.
• Kyabram’s reserves team continued its unbeaten season with a comfortable 33-point win over third-placed Euroa.
It was even early but the Bombers gradually got on top and had a reliable target in attack in Jared Pertzel, who kicked six goals.
Billy Ryan and Ethan Pama-Ludeman were also able to apply scoreboard pressure, with two goals each.
Liam Dillon, Will Wild and Blake McAuliffe were all prominent for the Bombers and key playmakers in the win.
Brenton Brasier and Sam Elliott also did a lot of telling work along with Dan Gentle while Will Campbell and Adam Pulsoni, who doubled up from the thirds, also performed well.
• Kyabram thirds had a runaway 130-point win.
The young Bombers had 15 individual goal kickers, with Mitch Dodos, Darcy Backway and Ethan Hart helping themselves to three majors.
The Bombers had plenty of good players, headed by Sam Campbell, Cooper Fawcett, Oskar Shortis and Tom Bruhn. Miller Griffiths, Oliver Watt and Adam Pulsoni also showed out.
• Kyabram Under 16s went down by 19 points in a low-scoring affair.
Euroa kept Kyabram goalless in the second term to take control on the scoreboard and maintained a buffer for the rest of the game.
Declan Hallett, Hunter Fawcett and Lachlan Carver worked really hard to keep the young Bombers in the game, with support from Jay Gentle and Callum Leocata.
But Kyabram’s attack was well held, with Angus Scoble the only multiple goal kicker with two.