Eagles swoop in second-half surge

Mansfield turned a shaky start into a statement win on Saturday, overpowering Seymour by 39 points at Kings Park to solidify their place in the Goulburn Valley League finals race. The Eagles were slow out of the blocks, coughing up five goals to one in a scrappy opening term as Seymour made the most of a blustery breeze. But from quarter time onwards, it was one-way traffic. Mansfield steadied, adjusted to the conditions, and clicked into gear with a blistering seven-goal second term that completely flipped the momentum. From there, they kicked away, booting 13 goals to six in the second half to secure a 20.4 (124) to 11.19 (85) victory. Coach Jack Hutchins praised his side’s composure and execution after the early stumble: “It was a fantastic win yesterday," said Hutchins. "The first quarter felt chaotic. "We didn't adjust to the conditions going against the breeze well enough and played into Seymour's hands too easily. "At quarter time we spoke about staying calm, getting back to winning the ball at the contest and using our speed and pace on the outside, which we were able to execute and get the game back on our terms. "Was really pleased with our accuracy in front of goal—20.4 is our best result this season. "Sam Thomson was our best on ground, which was fantastic to see after a tough couple of years with injury and fatigue. "Our group are in a really good place and can't wait for the challenge of third-placed Rochester at home this week. "They had our measure earlier in the year and we can't wait for another chance to have a crack at beating a quality side." William Hogan led the way with five goals, Sam Thomson slotted four, and Jack Hutchins chipped in with three, while Foster, Northcott, and Reardon added two each in Mansfield’s 20-goal performance. Sam Thomson was judged best afield for his clean ball use and presence around the contest, with strong support from James Herridge, Ben Reardon, and Dirk Koenen. Earlier in the day, it was heartbreak for Mansfield’s Reserves, who fell agonisingly short by a single point in a low-scoring slog. After battling back from a sluggish first quarter, the Eagles edged ahead late but couldn’t hold on as Seymour snatched a 4.10 (34) to 5.3 (33) win. Al Bennett, Ross Brown, Harry Purcell, Billy Chiller, and Luke Menhenett were named among the best for Mansfield, who’ll look to bounce back quickly. The day began on a winning note, with the Under 18s putting together a gritty four-quarter performance to down Seymour by 17 points. After kicking three goals to one in the first term, Mansfield maintained their lead throughout, eventually running out 9.9 (63) to 7.4 (46) winners. Dylan Davis, Ben McCarthy, Hugh Murphy, and Harry Yencken all played crucial roles as the young Eagles kept their finals hopes on track. Mansfield now returns home for a crucial clash with Rochester, eager to make a statement as the pointy end of the season approaches.

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