Corowa-Rutheglen wins a five-point thriller against Wangaratta Rovers

Rovers were missing around half their team due to coronavirus unavailabilities, suspension and injury, while the visitors were without a third, but the youthful outfits produced one of the year's most entertaining games.

The Roos led by 11 points when Hayden Filliponi grabbed a point with two minutes and 20 seconds left, but when teenager Toby Murray marked and converted 35 seconds out, the home club was a kick from victory.

Sam Carpenter then received a free kick in the middle of the ground and sent the Hawks into attack, but the Roos just held on, 14.13 (97) to 13.14 (92).

"We always thought maybe without their big guns (Tyler Roos, Matt Jones and Co), well, guess what, we didn't have our big guns either (Tom Goodwin, Damien Wilson and Co), so it was homegrowns versus each other and I was so proud of the way we went about it," delighted coach Peter German offered.

Although the loss of players due to COVID naturally impacted the game, both clubs can be proud of the spectacle.

Rovers' biggest lead was after 10 minutes when they kept the Roos scoreless, while the latter had two 16-point breaks midway through the third quarter.

"They (our younger players) could have rolled over when they put us to the sword in the third, I thought our younger players were our better players," proud coach Daryn Cresswell revealed.

With both teams missing so much personnel, they needed their classy players to deliver and Hawks' duo Dylan Stone, in his 100^th game, and Raven Jolliffe looked capable of taking the match away early.

The match had lovely moments in the first half when debutants Ollie Struve and Jedd Longmire (Roos) and Josh O'Donohue (Rovers) kicked their first goals and were mobbed by jubilant team-mates.

Corowa snared the lead for the first time midway through the second stanza and held it until classy play by Stone and Tyson Hartwig set up Shane Gaston for a one-point lead after four minutes of the final term.

But Struve stole it back.

He and fellow youngster Kaelan Bradtke landed three goals apiece, while Longmire (two) also played well, joining gun midfielder Cam Wilson, Jarred Lane and the unheralded Bailey Pirnag.

ALSO IN SPORT:

Brayden George bagged three majors, featuring with fellow youngsters Jace McQuade and Jake Cresswell.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: