Sport

Wombats end Tigers’ dream en route to table-topping decider

By Oliver Shedden

Sep 9, 2025

Lancaster's Charlie McLay walks on air. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

All season, Lancaster has been out for redemption after falling a step short of its Kyabram District League football treble dreams.

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Now, a return to glory is within reach after the Wombats brought down a Rushworth side full of momentum in the preliminary final to book their third grand final appearance in four years.

Battling it out at Central Park Recreation Reserve, the Tigers looked threatening early, but the Wombats remained a step ahead, taking a one-goal lead at quarter time.

Lancaster’s back six stepped up, preventing Rushworth from impacting the scoreboard at all as the Wombats banged on 6.7 to blow the game wide open at half-time.

Rushworth’s Liam Adlington and Lancaster’s Ricky Thomson contest. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

The Tigers managed to wrestle back some momentum with a trio of majors in the third term; however, Lancaster tallied three of its own to take a 49-point advantage into the final frame.

Down the stretch, Rushworth couldn’t break the Wombats’ iron-clad defence for a major, as Lancaster drilled five more goals to run away with a 16.17 (113) to 4.8 (32) victory.

Lancaster coach Nick Ryan reflected on the contest and the strategic priorities the team had to dismantle the Tigers.

Lancaster’s Wez Hill finds his target. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

“We knew that if we were able to keep things on our terms from the early stages, we’re always going to be a big shot to win the game,” he said.

“The first quarter was very hot and when we got into the second quarter, we felt we could expose them a bit with their outside run once we had it on our terms, we didn’t look back.

Lancaster’s Ricky Thomson can’t escape Rushworth’s Manning Hetherton. Photo by Rechelle Zammit

“Early on they looked the most damaging, and it was really important to us that we had to start well and quell that.

“If we were going into quarter time down or let them stay in the game too long, we knew that they’d be able to carry that momentum and even if we were the better side they were still going to be able to stay in the fight.