Yarrawonga makes most of second quarter wind to beat Wangaratta Rovers

The Hawks blew their opportunity with a 3-4 goal wind in the first quarter and the match was effectively over at half-time when they trailed by 31 points, with the home team blasting six goals in the final quarter for a 14.11 (95) to 7.7 (49) win.

"Personally (Michael) Gibbons and the Wheelers (Harry and Willie), they were the ones who got a hold of us in the middle, they were brilliant around the footy and they got a lot of territory from their work around the footy," Cresswell praised.

Gibbons racked up 31 touches, while Harry and Willie Wheeler had 24 and 21 respectively.

Another midfielder in Nick Fothergill (26) was also superb and a handful of the Pigeons' profile players showed their class when they combined early in the final stanza.

Gibbons handballed to coach Mark Whiley, who weaved out of trouble, to find Harry Wheeler by hand, who drilled a running 30m goal with the breeze.

It was something the Hawks couldn't master in the first term, kicking 1.2 to lead by only a point.

"We weren't great around the footy, we wasted the first quarter, we needed to kick four or five to put pressure on them with that wind, they defended really well, that was the game really," Cresswell suggested.

Yarrawonga looked like having the same issue with the wind, until Jess Koopman drilled a set shot from the boundary to kick-start a four-goal surge in 12 minutes.

"It was a real battle, obviously conditions played a part, but credit to Rovers, they're a good team," Whiley offered.

Along with the midfield, the three-goal hauls by Koopman and Bailey Frauenfelder proved crucial.

Frauenfelder is the best celebrator of a goal since Albury premiership player Setanta O'hAilpin.

He took a lovely mark at the six-minute mark of the third quarter, but the finish was sublime, drilling the 35m shot from the boundary into the strong breeze and immediately starting the trademark celebration with the knees pumping high and arm in the air.

Defender Leigh Masters had 33 possessions, with 12 marks, including six in the first 12 minutes of the second quarter.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Rover Tristan Lenaz had 10 marks, but fellow defender Sam Murray injured his hamstring.

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: