GVL Data | Rochy looks the real deal after last-term blitz

By Alexander Dabb

May 13, 2024

Fourth-quarter blitz: Rochester’s Sean Williams was influential in the Tigers’ final term onslaught, kicking three of his side’s six unanswered goals. Photo: Bruce Povey Photo by BrucePoveyPhotos.com 2022

Less than a kick in it against Kyabram, a phenomenal upset of Echuca and now a demolishing of Mooroopna.

It’s still early days, but Rochester has shown enough already this season to suggest it should feature prominently in September.

The latest scalp claimed by the Tigers was Mooroopna in a sensational 57-point drubbing, which was topped off with a blistering final quarter that saw Rochy run out an 18.11 (119) to 9.9 (63) winner.

Heading into the final term already ahead by 23 points, the Tigers slammed home six unanswered goals to ensure the victory was an emphatic one and prove their exploits against the reigning premier the week before were no fluke.

In the fourth quarter, Rochy controlled possession of the ball, racking up a total of 114 disposals compared to Mooroopna’s 73, while also claiming 33 uncontested marks to the Cats’ 21.

While the clearances were halved at nine apiece, the Tigers won the contested possession count 36-26 and, after putting their head over it, made it hard for Mooroopna to get it back, turning the ball over 13 times compared to the Cats’ 15 turnovers.

The pressure, a trademark of the Rochy side, was through the roof, with its fourth quarter rating of 37 still nearly double Mooroopna’s (19), despite it being far and away its worst pressure quarter of the match — probably due to having far more of the ball, a fact which also makes the Tigers winning the tackle count (20-13) all the more impressive.

All of that dominance led to the monstrous return on the scoreboard, with Rochy booting 6.3 (39) to Mooroopna’s 0.5, putting an exclamation point on an incredible fortnight for the side.

Instrumental in that final quarter for Rochester was Sean Williams, with the forward producing a 53-ranking point term, the highest of any player in the quarter.

While he only had five disposals in the fourth quarter, all of which were kicks, Williams slotted three goals and racked up score involvements with his other two touches.

Add to that two contested marks and take into account three of his disposals were contested, and you get a pretty influential term from just five touches.

Williams also leads Rochester’s goal-kicking tally after the weekend, having bagged five goals for the match to take his season total to 17 from six games, good enough for equal-sixth league-wide.