MFL | Moama ends Nathalia’s dynasty

Not since 2014 has a team other than the Purples won the MFL flag, but that will be the case this season after Nathalia failed to qualify for the finals following its 49-point loss at the hands of Moama.

Needing a win to keep their hopes of a record-extending sixth straight premiership alive, the Purples couldn’t stick with the Magpies at Moama Recreation Reserve, with the home side running out a 14.8 (92) to 6.7 (43) victor.

The win not only marks the end of an era for its opponent, but for Moama, it could mark the start of a new purple patch of its own.

The victory confirmed the Pies’ spot inside the top six, with Moama set to return to the finals for the first time since 2017.

“It was a good day for the club. Obviously we haven’t played finals for five years, so it’s exciting times in that sense,” Magpies coach Sam Sheldon said.

“It’s a good achievement for the hard work we have put in so far. It’s good to get that accomplishment ticked off and now it is about focusing on being a challenger.

“We don’t want to go in and just bomb out. We want to match it with the best, so we will be preparing for that and hopefully give it a fair shake.”

With finals implications for both sides, it was a tight first half, with Moama ahead by just three points at the main break.

With Nathalia’s season on the line, Sheldon said he knew his side would come up against a fired-up Purples outfit.

“They are a proud club, Nathalia, and they have been the premier team in the league for a long, long time,” he said.

“We knew they would come give us everything they have got because they were still mathematically a chance to make finals.

“For us it was about taking the sting out of them early and soaking up their best shot. We knew we could run them off the park.”

His side did exactly that, pulling away in the second half. Moama booted nine goals to Nathalia’s one after the break as it kicked away to a comfortable eight-goal victory in front of its home fans.

“They went one down on the bench which helped us, then we got on top of them,” Sheldon said.

“We started hitting a few more targets and the ball started going through the goals, which was good.”

Joshua Pell was great up forward for the Pies, booting six goals, with Jye Warren also kicking two majors.

As well as praising Pell’s efforts, Sheldon said he was impressed with the performance of his side’s co-captains.

“Our two captains Jack Russell and Jordan Ives played probably their best games of the year, so that was pleasing,“ he said.

“Jack really stood up in the third quarter. He really went hard and when the fight is really on, he always stands up. Zac Stovell played well and Tom Sheldon was back in, which helps us a lot, he was good.

“There was an even contribution across the ground. When we do that we have more of a chance of winning than not.”

Coming off the back of a disappointing 45-point loss to Congupna last time out, Sheldon said he was happy with the way his side responded.

“I was really pleased, it was a good bounce back. It was more the Moama that we are trying to become,” he said.

“We need to set ourselves up now going into finals. We need to come in there with a fair belief and understanding in how we play and win, and I think we are doing that pretty well.”

Moama sits in fourth spot on the ladder with one round left to play. The Magpies will be looking to close out the regular season on a high when they travel to take on Numurkah on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the three sides above them — Cobram, Mulwala and Tongala — are locked in a three-way battle for the minor premiership heading into the final round of the season thanks to the Blues’ thrilling 12-point win over the Tigers.

All three teams are level on 56 premiership points, with percentage the only thing separating them.

Cobram will face Deniliquin, Mulwala will play Congupna and Tongala will take on Finley in the final round of the season.