Unfortunately for Mooroopna, the Cats became the punching bag the Bears were after.
Coming into the round 11 fixture at Deakin Reserve, Mooroopna ranked fourth in the league for average goals a game (13.2), but on Saturday, Shepparton was able to strangle the Cats’ usually potent attack.
Shepparton’s stingy defence was torn apart during the Bears’ round 10 match against the Murray Bombers.
Echuca blew its opponent out of the water in the first quarter, scoring 47 points against Shepparton’s defence.
The Murray Bombers then scored at least four goals in the following three quarters as they continued to find holes in the Bears’ back 50.
However, seven days later, against Mooroopna, Shepparton’s defence regained its mojo thanks to a return to its manic pressure.
At quarter-time against the Cats, Bears co-coach Ted Lindon referred to his side’s pressure as their “one-wood”.
High-pressure football is how Shepparton plays at its best and, on Saturday, Mooroopna felt the full force of that heat.
The Bears had more pressure acts (48-45), chases (25-15) and spoils (19-13).
But the pièce de résistance was Shepparton’s tackling.
The Bears hunted the Cats all day.
Shepparton nearly doubled Mooroopna in total tackles (86-45), while it more than doubled the Cats in effective tackles (70-34).
Forward 50 tackles were relatively even (15-13), but it was through the midfield (43 tackles to 22) and the back line (28-10) that the Bears won convincingly.
Shepparton’s pressure wins vs Mooroopna
Overall pressure: 166-112
Pressure acts: 48-45
Chases: 25-15
Spoils: 19-13
Tackles: 86-45
Midfield tackles: 43-22
Back 50 tackles: 28-10
The Shepparton defence is a mix of class, with players such as Jonty Wardle and rock-solid dependability, like the reliable Ethan Baxter, who often shuts down his opposition.
However, the off-season acquisition of gun ruckman Ash Holland has allowed Bryce Stephenson to return to his role as a lock-down defender.
After the match, Bears co-coach Xavier Stevenson was full of praise for his star backman.
“He (Stephenson) is a superpower,” Stevenson said.
“He is super reliable and we are getting to a point where most weeks we are giving him a job on the best forwards in the comp and he is just getting it done.
“His versatility is crazy.
“We are super lucky to have him as he is athletic and he has a thirst for the contest.”
Stephenson’s defensive ability saw him shut down Mooroopna’s star key forward, the big and bustling Daniel Johnston.
Prior to Saturday’s match, the Cats forward (who is on Coburg’s list in the VFL) had kicked 33 goals from seven games this season while averaging roughly 2.5 contested marks, 5.2 marks inside 50s and 9.1 score involvements a match.
Against Stephenson, Johnston managed three marks (0 contested), one mark inside 50 and six score involvements.
After spending most of last season as Shepparton’s first-choice ruckman, Stevenson said the versatile Stephenson was excited about returning to the backline, where he had played as a junior.
“He played GVL ruckman last year and then we bring in Ash Holland and he (Stephenson) goes to centre half-back, which he was really pumped about doing and then he becomes a (GVL interleague) centre half-back,” he said.
“Last year, it was a bit of a need for him to play (in the ruck) as we didn’t have the height, so he took that challenge on.
“But this year, with the welcome addition of Ash, who is a quality player, we have been able to bring him back down back.”
Shepparton and Mooroopna have this weekend off, with the Goulburn Valley League having a split round.
