Tigers earn vengeance over Swans, become top two favourite

The Swans were first to strike in the opening quarter, but a pair of Hugh Hamilton goals put Rochester back into the ascendancy.

A James Auld major for Shepparton saw the scores level at 2.3 (15) headed into the first break.

Rochester looked like it would go into half-time with the lead, up 34-23, but the Swans had a great period of added time before the main break, kicking three straight to lead by seven points.

The Tigers quickly cut the lead to one and didn’t look back after the break, booting eight goals in the third term and keeping the Swans to only one to open up a lead of more than five goals.

Rochester’s accurate scoring, kicking 4.0 in the final term, helped it maintain that lead to the final siren.

Hamilton finished with a massive seven majors, while brothers Wil (3) and Cooper (1) brought the family total to 11 for the game.

Baily McGee (2) was the other Tiger to kick multiple majors.

For the Swans, Steele Simpson hit the target three times to lead his side.

Coach Ash Watson praised his side’s effort in the contest after half-time, with the Swans threatening to run away with the game before the break.

“We turned over the ball a little bit in that phase of the game,” he said.

“In that second quarter, they outplayed us and started to win a bit of contest.

“We made a couple of minor changes, but it was probably more getting back to the contest, getting busier around the ball.”

As Echuca lost to Shepparton Bears this week, Rochester reclaimed second place on the GVL ladder.

With 10th-placed Benalla and last-placed Tatura remaining on the Tigers’ schedule, Watson’s men are now in prime position to hold on for a top-two finish.

Rochester has a week off as part of the second half of the split round, before hosting the Saints on August 16.