Sport

Blues blitzed late in missed opportunity

By Matthew Kappos

Aug 9, 2026

Tom Dow brings Joe Guiney to ground. Photos: Jordan Townrow.

Tongala will be disappointed to have missed a golden opportunity against a finals rival, giving up a big lead in the fourth quarter against Mulwala in Murray Football League.

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The Blues led 10.12 (72) to 7.4 (46) at three-quarter time at home at Tongala Recreation Reserve and looked to be on their way to a statement win and potential top two challenge, but the Lions had other ideas.

Darcy Laffy was fired up after a major with Tongala on a roll in the third.

Mulwala kicked four goals within the first six minutes of the final term to cut the margin to two, and found three more, as well as a glut of behinds later in the one-sided fourth quarter.

Tongala was relegated to a single minor score, in the end falling convincingly by 20 points, 14.9 (93) to 10.13 (73).

Earlier, Tongala started the game well, kicking three of the first four majors to get out 22-6, although the Lions cut the margin to five by the break.

Mulwala briefly took the lead in the second, but Tongala responded to level things out and restore its five-point lead going into half-time, 43-38.

Brodie Tyson and Jack Monigatti battle in the air.

A burst of three straight majors late in the third got the Blues out to what looked a game-winning advantage at three-quarter time, but the Lions’ late barrage crushed the hosts’ dreams in the fourth.

In some consolation, Moama’s defeat elsewhere mathematically confirmed Tongala’s finals status, and it can still theoretically improve on its current fifth place if things fall its way, although a comparatively poor percentage makes that unlikely.