Gallery | ‘That is why you play footy’: Late goal lifts Hoppers to incredible win over Lancaster

The two sides faced off on Saturday in their first meeting since that rainy, muddy day in September in a game that unquestionably lived up to the occasion.

Two points separated the Hoppers and Wombats at three-quarter time and, after a final quarter that swung back and forth and lasted for what felt like an eternity, it was Murchison-Toolamba that prevailed by the slimmest of margins.

Andrew Lloyd was the hero for the Hoppers, slotting home the game-winning goal with seconds remaining that clinched a 12.6 (78) to 11.11 (77) victory.

Lloyd’s goal was one of six majors in the last quarter and came less than 30 seconds after a late Lancaster goal that most thought would be enough to snatch victory for the Wombats.

But after a quick centre clearance and a long kick forward, Lloyd plucked a contested mark before going back and nailing the go-ahead goal.

“That is why you play footy,” Lloyd said after the game.

“You are down by five points, you just want to be the one to kick it and I was the one who kicked it today. It is just surreal, surreal.”

His set shot soared right through the big sticks, but initially, Lloyd said he thought it was going wide.

“I don’t even know what was going through my head, to be honest,” he said.

“I thought I missed and then it snuck in.”

But Lloyd’s older brother James said he knew the shot was home from the moment Andrew kicked it.

“I knew straight off the boot,” James said.

“He always works it from left to right, I knew he had hit it perfect.”

After Cameron Simpson’s goal gave the Wombats the lead with with less than two minutes to play, James said he knew the Hoppers could still win it.

“We need one chance, that is all I was thinking. We need one chance. Our forward line is good enough to get the job done, we just need that one chance to get it,” James said.

“Andy, two on one, took that mark and put it through. It was awesome to watch.”

James himself kicked six majors, including a goal late in the fourth quarter that even he admitted looked like it would be the match-winner.

“For sure, for sure. That was game over,” James said about his final goal of the game.

“There were 30 seconds left and we were going to flood the middle, game over. Nope, footy doesn’t work like that, unfortunately.”

“About 20 times I was there thinking ‘blow the siren, blow the siren’. And then when they kicked the goal to hit the front, I was like, ‘I hope there is a little bit longer left, don’t blow the siren’.”

It was a rematch that was even better than the original.

Both teams were ferocious at the ball from start to finish, with all the intensity that you would expect to see on grand final day.

The final term had all the drama you could possibly ask for – the scores were level on three separate occasions and both teams had the lead inside the final two minutes.

But unlike last year’s decider, when the final siren sounded, it was the Hoppers who were in front.

It was clear that last year’s grand final result was a huge motivator for Murchison-Toolamba.

“We have been thinking about it since the last day of last season,” Hoppers coach Brett Foley said to his charges at three-quarter time.

“How much do you f***ing want it.”

Andrew admitted that Saturday’s result wouldn’t eliminate the pain of a premiership defeat, but said it gaves the Hoppers plenty of confidence moving forward.

“We have all talked about it and that still burns us to this day, still burns us,” Andrew said.

“And this, I know it is only round four, but to know that we can do it against the best out here, it is just big steps in the right direction.”

Murchison-Toolamba’s emotion-charged victory was one of two one-point thrillers at the weekend, with Merrigum also prevailing against Girgarre in another nail-biter.

The Bulldogs held a 23-point lead at three-quarter time, but the Roos came storming back in the final term and almost snatched victory.

Girgarre kicked five goals to one in the final quarter, but Merrigum clung on to triumph 11.15 (81) to 12.8 (80).

Ryan Butler had four goals for the Roos, while Jaydon Stiles had three for the Dogs.

The final game of the split round had Tallygaroopna cruise to a comfortable 77-point win over Violet Town.

A six-goal-to-two second term blew the game open for the Redlegs, with another dominant final quarter capping a 22.8 (140) to 9.9 (63) result.

Adam Brophy and Kian Wise each booted six majors for Tallygaroopna.

Shepparton East, Undera, Longwood, Avenel, Dookie United and Nagambie had the weekend off.