Crows tame Cats in thriller

by Davyd Reid
Longwarry held off a fast-finishing Neerim-Neerim South to account for the reigning premier in Jedd Serong's 350th game for the club.
The Cats found two minor scores early before the Crows got going to build a handy buffer heading into half time.
Pleasingly for the Crows, they were able to play some good football early despite the fact recruit Cooper Brown and Bailey Stephens had been kept relatively quiet.
Stephens would later come into the game to still finish among their most influential.
Braydon McHugh juggled a mark to put through the first before a lunging mark from Jason Wells added the second.
Dylan Holland snapped forward to find Wells as the Crows entered the first change with a three-goal lead.
Holland converted from the half forward flank before the Cats forward line began to find answers as the second term went goal for goal.
It was a nice moment when Josh White, who had missed a significant period of football with injury, put through the first for the Cats.
White would ultimately finish best afield for the Cats in his comeback game.
Forward pressure saw the Crows respond through Serong in his milestone match.
Isaac Guy was moved into the midfield and proved a handy addition, delivering to Kai Mounsey for a goal.
Serong centred to Stephens as the see-saw nature of the contest continued.
Tyssen Morrow made the most of a 50-metre penalty for an encroachment of the mark, before Wells converted from the lead to give the Crows a 26-point advantage at the long break.
The Cats blew the game open in the third term, storming back into contention with six goals to two to take a narrow lead into the final change.
Mounsey was gifted a 50-metre penalty but again the Crows would respond as Serong clunked a good mark.
Eddie McGillivray began the charge for the Cats with a long goal and then turned provider for Mounsey out of the middle.
Bailey George began to come into the contest and put through his first, despite appeals from Troy Lehman it had been touched.
With the margin cut to just seven-points, the rain began falling.
Dan Christian proved just as clutch as his former Australian cricketer namesake, converting after being rewarded for a rundown tackle.
Jason Wells responded with goal of the day, rolling one through of his left from the boundary.
Morrow responded with an unbelievable goal of his own as the Cats remarkably went into the final change with the lead.
A tight tussle ensued with the scores locked at 9-7 apiece at the 11-minute mark.
The Crows broke the deadlock when Holland cut off a Cats exit, finding McHugh who in turn went to Wells who put through his fifth.
Serong then converted in the driving rain to just about seal the result.
George won a free kick for a high tackle and converted as the Cats continued to press.
Angus Adamiak stood up in a key moment with two minutes to go, cutting off a forward entry to send the Crows into attack.
McHugh, Stephens and Tyler van der Heyden broke into space quickly, the former kicking true in his first game back from a broken arm and wrist.
The Cats would go forward once again, only to be denied by a defensive mark to Troy Lehman. He in turn found Josh Bourke on the siren as the Crows held on, handing the Cats their first loss since September 2024..
While much was made of Neerim-Neerim South's departure of key forward line players, Longwarry coach Darren Granger was certain they'd face a competitive contest in their round one contest.
With the Cats surging back in contention with a powerful six goal to two final term, the Crows were forced into a battle to hold on.
"We knew it would be a tough challenge, it always is here," Granger said to local radio post-game.
"We had to give respect and stick to our structure.
"They really came at us in the second and third quarter."
With Tom Muir moving back to defence, it proved a challenge for the Crows in the second half.
"They steadied, and their changes to the forward line worked for them," Granger said.
"We're big on attitude and putting the head over the ball and just needed to stick with it.
"Our midfield like the contest and the rain suited us, contest and get it forward."
Granger was impressed with the final play that would ultimately see the Crows hold on, Bailey Stephens providing run from half back with speedy forward Tyler Van der Heyden reaping the rewards.
Angus Adamiak finished among the best players, but downplayed his role. He credited the work of Lachlan Willis, saying this allowed him to remain fresh for a pivotal final term.
"He'd done most of the game (in the ruck)," he said.
"They're still well-drilled, we had to man up and lock on. We're building a good group of locals."