Two wins out of the top six with two rounds to play, it would require some sort of miracle for the Eagles to reach the finals equation, as a ruthless second half from Kyabram ripped away a must-win occasion at Mansfield Recreation Reserve.
Kyabram coach Corey Carver stated the first half, which saw Mansfield lead by seven points 9.5 (59) to 8.4 (52), was won through clearance dominance by the Eagles.
“We realised at half time we were losing the clearance and they were getting us on the overlap, particularly in the second quarter,” Carver said.
The midfield stardom from reigning Morrison Medallist Callum Brown and Sam Thomson forced Carver’s hand to do a little bit of “tinkering” structurally.
“We made some structural changes that helped us out in the second half,” he said.
“A couple of wing location points were set a bit differently, and our on-ball brigade had to tighten up a bit more.
“We were more defensively minded, especially out of the centre square.”
The changes, while minimal on face value, paid maximum profit for the Bombers.
In his 100th senior game, skipper Aidan Robinson was the beneficiary of the tide turning for Kyabram, as Carver revelled in reflection of the captain’s influential second half.
“He took the bull by the horns,” Carver said.
“He just started to mark everything.”
Three second half goals came to Robinson after he kicked the game’s opener, assisting the Bombers take the lead back and grow it out to eight at three-quarter-time, before Kyabram had 11 scoring shots in the final term, returning 5.6, to arrive at a 31-point victory, 17.14 (116) to 13.7 (85).
Following the result, the Bombers are fourth on the GVL table with a healthy percentage, but remain just a game clear of seventh.
That buffer could be closed down after round 17, with Kyabram requiring an away win over ladder-leaders Shepparton if it is to maintain its firm foothold in the top six.
However, there is added motivation for its blockbuster clash, as ever-reliable defender Jason Morgan is anticipated to play senior game 300.
“They’ve (Shepparton) been the yardstick all year alongside Echuca,” Carver said.
“It’s Jason Morgan’s 300th game, so we’ll have a nice build up on that, but we’ll have to play our best to beat ‘Shepp’.”
The Eagles have two more eight-point swing games to rally for in their final fortnight against Mooroopna and Shepparton United, and while mathematically still could enter the top six, require Shepparton Swans (sixth), United (seventh) and Rochester (eighth) to all lose their remaining fixtures, being reliant on teams such as Benalla and Euroa to produce upsets in doing so.
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