Ultima have given the upcoming Golden Rivers finals series a shake-up, with the Roos delivering reigning premiers Hay their first loss of the season by 24 points on the weekend.
It was the third meeting for the season between the two teams, with Ultima kicking seven of the last 10 goals of the match to run away 13.10 (88) to 10.4 (64) winners.
While the win could prove to be the perfect confidence booster for the Roos ahead of the two teams first semi-final encounter at Murrabit, it also came at a cost for the Roos, with injuries to midfielders Jake Foster (hamstring) and Darcy Farrell (shoulder).
Despite the injuries, Ultima coach Kyle Symons was happy with his team’s performance, with the Roos down to just two rotations for over half the game.
“The boys came to play and we eventually got the job done,” Symons said.
“We put it on our midfielders to get the job done after half-time because we were getting beaten in the midfield. I wouldn’t say we got on top, but we nullified them enough that we could get the game played on our terms around the ground and then we got on top from there.
“We started getting on top around the stoppages in the second half which helped us keep the footy in our half and we controlled it from there.
“We were down a couple of rotations at half-time which didn’t help, so on that basis it was a pretty good win.
“Mitch (Seton-Stewart) and Tom (Bull) had to play big minutes in the last half and did a mighty job for us.”
Seton-Stewart and Bull were among the Roos better players, with the pair key factors in the home side getting on top around the stoppages, while Caillum Brady across half back was also a big contributor in the win.
Edward Kuchel was given the task of nullifying key forward Kenneth Jubb, with Kuchel taking the points after keeping Jubb to just two goals for the match.
Defender Nathan Wilson and ruckman James Moran were among the Lions better players, along with Jack Cattanach, Dean Aylett and Hugh Crighton.
“They (Ultima) were good and were more even than us, they had an even contribution across the field and their ball movement was solid,” Hay coach Mick Cattanach said post-match.
“When they got going they delivered it really well into their forward 50 and to be honest, they were fitter than us.
“We stayed with them in the first half, but they had us for fitness and ran over the top of us in the third quarter and then in the last.
“Their ball movement was good and their pressure around the footy was really good.
“We knew it was going to be hard to go back to back before the season and it’s going to be even more difficult now.
“We need to go back to the drawing board and do a bit of work, but hats off to Ultima, they were really good.”
Hay also failed to get through the match with a clean bill of health, with young wing/half forward Cooper Scott set to miss this Saturday’s game against Wandella with concussion.
The Bombers will go into the match against the reigning premiers full of confidence after defeating Murrabit by 41 points on the weekend.
After opening up a 20-point lead at the first break, Wandella were never seriously threatened, with Murrabit continuing to fight until the final siren but unable to reduce the margin in the 14.18 (102) to 9.7 (61) result.
Michael Rowe finished with three goals for the Bombers, while Murrabit’s Patrick Bryan was the leading goal kicker on the ground with five.
The upset of the round belonged to Moulamein, with the Swans securing their second win of the season with a seven-point victory over Macorna, with the Tigers being held scoreless in the third quarter proving to be the turning point in the match.
Kaylem Hartley kicked four goals for the winners, with Lachlan Ritchie finishing with a game high six majors in the 13.8 (86) to 12.7 (79) win to the Swans.
