Gallery | Congupna and Cobram produce another finals classic

Immediate intensity and heat on the football marked it a tough opening term to find scoring options, The Road the only team to score a goal, leading 1.3 (9) to 0.2 (2) at the first siren.

Cobram found its footing in the second quarter on a gusty day at Rumbalara Recreation Reserve, stamping four majors to two behinds in the term to head into the sheds with a 16-point buffer, leading the low-scoring affair with 4.3 (27) to Congupna’s 1.5 (11).

In his last semi-final hit-out as Congupna coach after announcing his departure at season’s end during the week, Ben Bingham said reassuring the troops that the game was positioned positively was the message at half-time.

“Staying positive was the main thing, we were down by a couple goals but had only been outscored by one shot, so we were reassuring the guys,” Bingham said.

That attitude saw The Road flourish post-break, and with advantage to the scoring end, Congupna outdid the Tigers’ second term efforts with a five-goal quarter, including an unanswered three-goal streak to start the second half that flung Congupna back in front.

At three-quarter-time, Congupna led 6.9 (45) to 5.4 (34), but a murmuring crowd felt there was a couple more twists left to occur as the MFL titans readied themselves for another gripping finish.

With the breeze in its favour, Cobram struck first, and second.

As the clock ticked past the sixth minute of the term, the Tigers were back in front.

It was grit-your-teeth time at Rumbalara.

A goal for goal patch ensued, with each uppercut to the scoreboard followed by a right hook back.

The Road drove forward for its first major nine minutes into the final term, as Kyle Mueller kicked what Bingham described as one “of the best goals I’ve ever seen”, before a behind and goal eight minutes later saw Cobram stick its nose in front by two points.

Clean disposal in the nervy stages saw Congupna edge ahead again, but two and a half minutes later Cobram replied as the game headed for red time.

It took just 78 seconds for Congupna’s Keegan Donovan to slot through a reply though from a set shot 30 metres out, with The Road locking in congested footy in Cobram territory as it prayed for the ringing out of the siren.

Each second was felt an eternity for the crowd of red and white supporters, while each tick felt like it was in two times speed for the hopeful Tigers base that required one last roll of the dice to win the game.

That moment came.

In the dying seconds, Cobram launched an attack on goal, but a behind was chalked up - no more than a handful of seconds later, Congupna held possession from the kick out until the horn sounded with The Road ahead 9.9 (63) to 9.6 (60).

“It was a gutsy performance,” Bingham said.

“That’s the closest game we’ve had to get into a grand final over the last few years, but I think it will hold us in good stead.

“It’s weird to say but I think it’s pleasing we didn’t play our best football, and we’ll do a bit of film on it.

“But it tested out our late-game tactics we’ve trained and it was pleasing to see it pay off.”

Congupna has now reached its fourth consecutive grand final, aiming to avenge its 2025 loss on the big stage at Moama Recreation Reserve on Saturday, September 19.

Boyer’s James and Charles were named in the best, the latter the only Road player to kick multiple goals, while Jack Norman was picked as the best afield.

Cobram’s Ben Ryan’s four-goal haul topped the Tigers scoring while Bowen Calogero and Jackson Trengove were among the yellow and black’s best.

Cobram will face Nathalia next week after the Purples beat Tongala in Sunday’s elimination semi-final.

It was a relentless start to finish win for the Purps, with a 40-point half time lead the early punch that saw the Blues unable to turn the contest, losing 7.6 (48) to 15.12 (102).