Low scoring but tight affair at Tigerland

By Rover

MIRBOO North bravely defeated the Tarwin Sharks by one goal in a low-scoring, nip-and-tuck encounter, at Tigerland on Saturday.

Mirboo North’s narrow victory was a tale of a battle won with grit, guts and determination through strict compliance with its game plan.

For spectators, there was tension in the air all afternoon, as both sides went hammer and tongs at each other, with hard bumps and heavy tackling aplenty, in and around the packs.

The visiting Sharks wore black armbands in memory of Val O’Loughlin, following her recent passing. 

Taj Wilkins, who was playing his 50th club game for Mirboo North, led the mighty Tigers onto the field for their first home match of 2025.

After Mirboo North was seven points ahead at quarter-time, scores were level at the long break, with the Tigers one point clear going into the final quarter.

Both defences had been as tight as Fort Knox, with each allowing just four goals apiece to three-quarter time.

Beau Peters, Jacob Blair, playing coach Damien Turner and Wilkins, had repeatedly turned back countless Shark attacks, with vision and precision.

Ben Chalmers, Lachie Jones, Mark McCall and Nathan McRae, were equally busy across all lines for the visitors. 

Two minutes into the last term, a lovely long kick from Shane Peters found Clancy Snell, who brought up the Tigers’ fifth goal and pushed their lead out to seven points. 

As well as skipper Hudson Kerr’s skill and determination in the midfield, Mirboo North was relying on its speedy younger brigade of Jesse Chila, Ethan Woodall, Archie Woodall and Harry Mahoney to run the ball at a rate of knots into its forward 50.

Plenty of fast hand passing became a key part of Mirboo North’s quick ball movement.

Yeoman’s work carried out at the stoppages by giant Mirboo North ruckman, Patrick Lewis, was also influential.

When Chila passed to Snell for his third major at the 11-minute mark, Mirboo North was 14 points clear.

However, it would be the Tigers’ last score for the day. 

Four minutes later, the Sharks found space and rushed the Sherrin downfield for their fifth and final major, that reduced the deficit to eight points.

As weariness set in, larger than normal packs were gathering, with more and more ball-ups occurring.

Mirboo North’s forward thrusts had dried up, but strong defensive work from Beau and Shane Peters, Blair, Wilkins, Joe Brooks and Turner, continually repelled the Sharks’ inside-50 advances.

Shortly before the final sounded, there were two narrow misses from Tarwin, that reduced Mirboo North’s winning margin to six points.

In a game of dominant defences, Snell with his three majors for the Tigers, was the only multiple-goal kicker from either side.

This Saturday, Mirboo North travels to Yinnar to confront the Magpies on their home turf.