Yarrawonga 0.3, 1.5. 8.6,13.7 (85) def Albury 2.4, 3.9, 4.14, 8.19 (67)
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Best: Zac Fraser, Nicholas Fothergill, Cameron Wilson, William Wheeler, Harrison Wheeler, Josh Payne.
Goals: Zac Fraser 3, Harrison Wheeler, Matt McCabe 2
Yarrawonga has finished the 2026 home-and-away season on a winning note, overcoming a sluggish opening half to defeat Albury by 18 points on Saturday.
In what was effectively a dead rubber for both sides, the contest certainly looked that way early, with neither team able to make the most of its opportunities.
Albury was first to settle and eventually made the Pigeons pay for their wastefulness, with Matt Walker capitalising on his opportunities to kick two quick goals and give the Tigers the advantage at quarter-time.
Yarrawonga managed just three behinds in the opening term and was forced to play catch-up football from the outset.
The second quarter did little to improve the standard of the contest, with the Pigeons adding just 1.2 to Albury's 1.5.
While Yarrawonga was struggling to find any real fluency, Albury was enjoying the better of the opening half and had its chances to establish a match-winning advantage.
Fortunately for the Pigeons, the Tigers' inaccuracy kept them within striking distance. Yarrawonga trailed by less than three straight kicks at the main break, despite Albury having been the better side for much of the first half.
Whatever was said in the rooms at half-time appeared to have the desired effect.
The Pigeons came out after the long break with considerably more intent and began to wrestle control of the contest away from the Tigers.
And when Channel Seven media star Zac Fraser was injected into the coalface, the midfielder immediately reminded everyone in attendance of just how damaging he can be.
Fraser threw himself into the contest and helped provide the spark Yarrawonga desperately needed.
Matt McCabe, returning to the 2pm game for the first time in 2026, was next to make his presence felt, slotting a goal at the 12-minute mark of the third quarter to put the Pigeons in front.
Two minutes later, Reid Clarke, returning from a calf injury, calmly converted to extend Yarrawonga's advantage.
Suddenly, the Pigeons were playing with confidence and beginning to look like the team that had produced a strong home-and-away campaign.
Cameron Wilson then added another, before Ben Coghill found the big sticks as Yarrawonga put together a decisive burst.
Albury still had opportunities to fight its way back into the contest, but once again the Tigers failed to make them count, adding three behinds late in the term.
By three-quarter-time, the Pigeons had established a 16-point advantage and, more importantly, had wrestled back the momentum.
Skipper Harrison Wheeler then produced a captain's goal early in the final term to give Yarrawonga further breathing space.
Harry Wheeler has made a habit of producing important moments for the Pigeons and this was another example, as his goal helped settle the side and push the margin beyond three goals.
The game became something of an arm wrestle from there, but Yarrawonga was firmly in control.
McCabe kicked his second at the 10-minute mark before Fraser added his third goal shortly afterwards.
At the 12-minute mark, the Pigeons had opened up a commanding 33-point lead and appeared certain to close out the afternoon with a comfortable victory.
But William Wheeler was not about to let his brother have all the fun. In another outstanding individual season, Wheeler has put himself firmly in contention for a second Morris Medal and he produced a moment befitting his year.
With the home crowd up and about, Wheeler launched a superb effort on goal which sailed through the big sticks, sending the "Wide World of Sports" theme ringing around the speakers for one final time in 2026.
It was a fitting celebration of another excellent home-and-away campaign from the Pigeons.
Lach Howe then put the finishing touches on the victory with Yarrawonga's final goal of the afternoon. The final siren confirmed an 18-point victory, with the Pigeons running out 13.7 (85) to 8.19 (67) winners.
Reserves: Mission impossible completed
Yarrawonga 2.3 7.3 9.4 12.7 (79) def Albury 3.3 7.5 8.8 11.8 (74)
Goals: Lachlan Craig, Henry Donvan, Jackson Hourigan, Todd Muldoon 2
BEST: Lewis Henley, Henry Donovan, Bronson Schofield, Todd Muldoon, Andrew Dickins, Jackson Hourigan
There are football victories, and then there are victories that become part of a club's folklore.
What the Yarrawonga Pigeons' Reserves achieved on Saturday was firmly in the latter category.
For most of the 2026 season, a finals berth looked increasingly like an impossible dream.
A devastating injury toll had decimated the Pigeons' reserves, leaving coaches Matt O'Dwyer and Bronson Schofield searching week after week for enough players to fill a side.
And yet, against the odds, against the injuries, at times the Pigeons found a way to keep their season alive.
With the exception of Round 1, O'Dwyer and Schofield rarely had anything resembling their best 22 available.
The injury list eventually climbed into the twenties, forcing the coaching staff to call on all and sundry simply to fill a side each week.
There were occasions when the Pigeons looked like a team playing well outside its weight division.
A loss to Wodonga a few weeks ago appeared to have finally ended the dream, leaving Yarrawonga seemingly destined for an honourable sixth-place finish. Sixth place it may have been, but sixth place was not good enough for O'Dwyer and Schofield.
The pundits had counted them out, even a games record holder had them gone, they had not counted on Matt and Bronson.
Rather than accept their fate, the coaching duo turned to the club's youth. And the young Pigeons responded.
Over the following weeks, the squad began to build momentum, confidence and belief. What had been a battered and makeshift team slowly began to resemble a genuine football side.
The simple fact is over the final six quarters of the home-and-away season, the Pigeons showed were playing football worthy of a finals team.
Thirds but poor start proves costly
Yarrawonga 1.3 4.5 5.5 9.7 (61) def Albury Thirds 4.1 5.4 7.10 9.13 (67)
BEST: Oliver Tresize, Cooper Clark, James Cummins, Cameron Stephens, Jai Sneddon, Charlie Hargreaves
GOALS: James Cummins 2, Archie Skehan 2, Miller Smith, Jai Sneddon, Samuel Trembath, Oliver Tresize
A poor opening quarter has ultimately cost the Yarrawonga Pigeons 3rds, who fought their way back into the contest against the Tigers before falling short in a hard-fought finish.
The young Pigeons were slow out of the blocks and were made to pay as the Tigers established an early advantage.
For a side that has shown plenty of fight throughout the season, it was a disappointing start, and the Pigeons were left chasing the game from the outset.
The second quarter, however, was a completely different story. Yarrawonga lifted its intensity, began winning more contests and, importantly, started to make the most of its opportunities in front of goal.
The improvement was significant enough to give the Pigeons genuine belief heading into half-time, with the margin reduced to just a kick.
The third quarter was a real let-off for Yarrawonga. The Tigers put their foot down and created plenty of opportunities, but, in what would become the story of the afternoon, their inability to convert kept the Pigeons in the contest.
Missed opportunities gave Yarrawonga a lifeline and ensured the game remained within reach heading into the final term. And the Pigeons were not about to surrender.
A goal to Miller Smith gave Yarrawonga an early spark before Archie Skehan added another, bringing the margin back to just one kick.
Suddenly, the momentum had shifted and another Pigeons upset looked possible.
Jai Sneddon then found the big sticks to bring Yarrawonga back, but the Tigers responded almost immediately, finding a goal on the rebound to steady themselves. The Pigeons continued to fight.
A late goal to best-on-ground Oliver Tresize again gave the young Pigeons belief, but ultimately it was too little, too late.
A couple of lapses at crucial stages proved costly, with the Tigers doing enough to hold on.
Despite the disappointment, there was plenty to like about the Pigeons' performance, particularly the way they refused to surrender after a poor opening term.
James Cummins was outstanding throughout the afternoon, finding plenty of the football and continually putting himself in the contest.
Cummins finished with two goals and was involved in virtually everything the Pigeons did well. His performance was another strong indication that he is knocking firmly on the door of a senior debut, and with finals football now upon the Under 18s, his form could not have come at a better time.
Oliver Tresize was another standout, producing a strong performance and finishing with a goal, including the late major that briefly gave the Pigeons hope of completing the comeback.
Cooper Clark, Cameron Stephens, Jai Sneddon and Charlie Hargreaves were also among Yarrawonga's best.
Finals football awaits
While the result was disappointing, the Pigeons now have no time to dwell on it.
The young side will head to Raiders on Sunday to take on the Raiders in an elimination final. It promises to be a cracker.
For the Pigeons, the equation is simple — win and continue the finals journey, or lose and the season is over.
Pigeons Loft
The Yarrawonga Football Netball Club finished its final home game of the 2026 home-and-away season on a high, with strong performances across both football and netball.
The Second XVIII and First XVIII recorded important wins, while the Thirds narrowly missed out.
In netball, A Grade and B Grade won, C Grade drew, and the under-age teams continued to show strong effort and commitment.
A major achievement for the club is that six Pigeons teams have qualified for finals.
For the first time since 2018, all three football grades will compete in finals together, with the First XVIII, Second XVIII and Thirds playing at Raiders on Sunday.
In netball, A, B and C Grade have also qualified, with B Grade securing the minor premiership. C Grade will face the Roos on Sunday, while A Grade will play Wodonga at Wangaratta on Saturday.
Regardless of finals results, the club considers having six teams qualify a significant achievement and recognises the contribution of all players and coaches throughout the 2026 season.
The final home game also featured the annual Day on the Green, celebrating the volunteers and sponsors who support the club. Special thanks were given to Jamie Cummins and Nathan Tresize for organising the event. The club also acknowledged its major partners: ClubMulwala, Kennedy Builders, Belmores, BETR, Yarrawonga Ford, The Play Project, Yarrawonga Holiday Park, Yarrawonga Hotel and BG Finance.
Important date: Presentation Night will be held on Thursday, 24 September.