Hosting the Redlegs at Stanhope Recreation Reserve, the Lions went into the contest as heavy favourites, but, the visitor came to play despite a finals’ birth being out of the question.
It was rough going for Stanhope in the opening quarter, with the side unable to kick straight, settling for five minor scores.
Meanwhile, Tally’s kicking was quite the opposite, nailing four goals to jump out to a 20-point first turn lead.
After a slow start, the Lions roared back into the contest in the second period with a four-goal effort, putting them within striking distance, as the Redlegs added just 1.3 to its score by half-time.
In a see-sawing contest, the pendulum swung back in favour of Tallygaroopna with the visitor finding two goals and five behinds, while holding Stanhope to just two minor scores to increase its lead back up to 20.
While the Lions (3.4) tried valiantly to get over the top down the stretch, it was simply the Redlegs’ day, nailing five goals in the final frame to leave round 16 with a 12.10 (82) to 7.11 (53) triumph and its third win of 2025.
The 29-point defeat makes a finals birth unlikely for the Lions, who have just one game left for the season against Lancaster in round 18.
Not only is that a must-win game, but they would be banking on Rushworth to lose both of its last two games to end the season.
