For a half, the Lions put up a good fight, separated by the most slender of margins at the main break, however flag fancy Shepparton proved too strong as the contest wore on, with Seymour eventually going down 10.10 (70) to 17.13 (115).
From the opening bounce it looked as though the Bears, who have dropped points on just one occasion so far this season and possess a percentage above 200, were going to run rampant, as they booted the opening two goals of the contest and dominated much of the general play.
Bior Malual opened the scoring for Seymour in reply, however Shepparton found a third major before quarter-time as they increased the margin to 13 points by the first break, with the Lions trailing 1.2 (8) to 3.3 (21) heading into the huddle.
The Lions needed a spark to wrest back some momentum in the second term, and it was fitting that co-coach and captain Jack Murphy was the one who provided it.
Celebrating his 150th senior game for Seymour, Murphy, a two-time club best-and-fairest, league MVP and GVL representative, slotted the opening goal of the second term to lift the Lions, who then moved to within a point as Malual nabbed his second.
Shepparton responded in kind as Lewis McShane booted consecutive majors to push the margin back to 14 points, but Seymour remained up to the task, finding another gear to close in yet again as the half-time siren neared.
Nick Dundon added his first major of the afternoon to drag the Lions back to eight points in arrears, before some solid defending, and a Lewis Lubeck screamer inside defensive 50, denied the Bears going back the other way.
With all the momentum, the Lions pounced again just before the main break, as Jesse Brock put one straight over the goal umpire’s hat to complete a brilliant four-goal-to-two second term for Seymour, ensuring the home side went into the rooms only one-point behind the Bears, trailing 5.5 (35) to 5.6 (36) and setting up what looked to be a classic finish.
But while the Lions managed to hit the front for the first time all afternoon via a goal to inspirational leader Murphy just after play resumed in the third term, it was short-lived, as Shepparton launched a devastating attack.
With four unanswered goals, the Bears jumped out to a game-high 24-point lead midway through the third quarter, and while consecutive majors to Nathan Fowler brought the margin back to two straight kicks at the final change, Shepparton had another gear to go to in the last.
Malual and Nic Quigg replied to the Bears’ opening two goals of the final quarter to keep the deficit at a manageable 14 points. However, it was as close as the home side got for the rest of the game, as the visitors kicked the final five goals to blow out what had been a competitive contest to that point.
Dylan Cook was named Seymour’s best in the win, just ahead of milestone man Murphy, who booted two goals, and Malual, who kicked three, while Lachlan Giles and Huw Jones continued their impressive individual seasons with another appearance in the best.
The Lions manage to hold on to third spot by half a game despite the loss, given fourth-placed Shepparton Swans fell to Kyabram at the weekend and remain two games clear of the Bombers in fifth.
Seymour will look to return to the winners’ list this weekend when it hosts Benalla at Kings Park before heading into the general bye.
