A FAST start sealed Seymour’s passage into the 2026 Goulburn Valley League finals, taking a comfortable 64-point win over Tatura.
The Lions only needed a win or draw against the winless Bulldogs to seal third position on the ladder, doing so in an efficient manner which saw the game sealed in the early stages.
Seymour kicked the opening four goals of the game, with Nicholas Quigg, Jack Murphy, Ricky Schraven and Bior Malual getting on the scoresheet early, helping it take a 26-8 lead at the first change.
The Lions looked well on their way when Murphy and Nathan Beattie scored to leave them 32 points up, but Tatura did challenge briefly thanks to two goals in three minutes.
However, Dylan Cook settled any nerves the Lions might have had, before a second goal to Schraven meant it was a 39-point lead at the main break, 60-21.
It took some time for the first goal of the second half to come, with both teams having genuine chances, but after seven straight behinds, Lachlan Giles was the man to break the deadlock, and it was well and truly party time when Riley Mason and Murphy goaled to ensure it was the Lions’ day. Cook added a third to make the margin 61 at the last change, 91-30.
The last quarter saw the Lions cruise, with Murphy adding his fourth, before Tom Maloney ensured it would be a 15.16 (106) to 6.6 (42) victory.
Cook was brilliant, as was Quigg, Giles, Murphy and Huw Jones.
The Lions will now face Mooroopna in the first week of the finals, with details yet to be confirmed at the time of production.
Meantime, the reserves are booked in for a first week showdown with Rochester, with the Lions warming up with a 28-point win.
Jack Radford sealed the league leading goalkicker medal with three goals, while Sam Fuhrmeister, Max Lawrence, Nicholas Daven, Benjamin McCarthy and Will O’Sullivan also played well.
Four goals from Sam Brown ensured the Lions finished their under-18s season on a positive note, recording a 33-point win. Phillip Dixon, Harry Kelly, Benjamin McCarthy, Samuel Zotti and Tayte Hoefchen all played well.
On the court, it took until the final game of the season, but Seymour is in the A-grade finals courtesy of a 47-39 win over Tatura.
The win knocked the Bulldogs out, but the Lions will now play Mansfield in the first week of the finals.
B-grade are also in with a 25-goal victory, 54-29, and the Lions will play Shepparton United in the first week.
B-reserve will play Rochester in the first week, warming up with a 28-18 victory.
The 17-and-under team secured a dramatic finals berth, drawing its final game of the season to Tatura, 37-37. Had the Bulldogs found one more goal, it would have meant Seymour would have been knocked out, but instead, the Lions will play Shepparton Swans in the first week.
The 15-and-under finished a tough season on the most positive of notes, taking its first win of the season with a 33-31 victory.
