Kyabram continues its rampage with a 55-point smacking of Mooroopna in Goulburn Valley League

Before the game, only a coin toss could determine who was favourite, but by the final siren, Kyabram had cashed in its chips and was laughing all the way to the bank with a 16.14 (110) to 8.7 (55) victory to grin about.

Brad Whitford was chaired off the ground to a symphony of whistles and cheers and despite the champion defender being unable to mark his 100th senior game with a goal — although he came close — the four-quarter effort was as good as it gets in co-coach Corey Carver’s eyes.

“We haven’t been doing it; we’d been playing a half or three quarters and couldn’t put a full four together, so it was great — I was rapt with them,” he said.

“It’s been something we’ve been working on all year. We could pressure, we could defend, we could work for a while, but not for long enough.

“Some of our young players are just starting to learn that the game’s not all about winning the ball and having it in your hands; you’ve actually got to work defensively.

“That’s just starting to look a little bit better which is good, so hopefully that continues.”

Mooroopna had only lost once on its home deck before Saturday and by quarter-time no flags had been raised.

A contested first five minutes was split by Anthony Depasquale’s first before Will Bella’s pirouette and thread-through levelled the score again.

Bella added his second before Depasquale chimed in with two more — the second a peach from the boundary — leaving the Bombers a goal to the good at the opening change.

An arm wrestle was taking place at the Cattery and Kyabram was about to put its fist down.

Depasquale went bang straight from the bounce and as the Bombers penned Mooroopna into its back 50 with strafing pressure, Liam Ogden built the lead further with a lovely shaping kick off the left boot.

Not long before the half, Jackson Griffiths split the sticks with a sweetly-taken banana before the best — and last — act came via Will Golds, who raked a set shot from outside 50 for a Bombers’ 34-point lead.

The Cats’ tails were down, but their start to the third quarter spelled some hope for the hosts.

Jack Brooks and Jed Woods were able to cancel out a pair of Kyabram majors, but the youth and experience of Mitch Dodos and Brad Mangan supercharged the visitors’ stranglehold as both converted late in the term.

Mooroopna booted the opening two goals of the final stanza — was there hope? Yes.

But was it futile? Also yes.

Kyabram’s style gauge was soon red-lining as Depasquale and Dodos continued to kick their side to supremacy.

Whitford had his moment to cap his 100th game with a goal, but after his effort veered away from big sticks, the cheers instead arrived as Dodos’ goal after the siren sealed a stellar day for the boisterous Bombers.

Carver was not short of compliments for the milestone man, lauding the perseverance of a Bomber who bleeds black and red.

“He (Whitford) is just champion bloke, a champion player,” he said.

“Not everyone knows (that) he’s had a couple of knee recos and multiple hamstring problems, so he’s had those moments where he thinks to himself 'should I do this, my body is battling'.

“But he soldiers on and he doesn’t care, he goes with the flight of the ball, he puts his body where he probably shouldn’t. He’s a ripping player and really good bloke.”

Carver went on to praise Aidan Robinson at full-back, Marcus Khoo in the ruck and Ogden, Griffiths and Kaine Herbert in the midfield, while also labelling Dodos’ day as “his best game of the year.”

The young forward finished with five goals, while Depasquale rose further up the goal-kicking ranks with a haul of seven.

For Mooroopna, Ben Hicks played a fearless game down back, while youngsters Woods and Mac Calleja were applauded for their efforts.