HEIDELBERG held off a late Macleod charge to keep its unbeaten start to the season intact with a heart stopping two-point win at Warringal Park on a rainy ANZAC day.
The most anticipated game of the round lived up to its billing, with the lead changing hands twice in the dying stages before the Tigers held on for a 9.8 (62) to 9.6 (60) win.
Despite Heidelberg leading for the majority of the match, Macleod kicked the opening four goals of the last term to take the lead with only minutes remaining, but a late strike from Kieran Andrew proved to be the decider as the Tigers jumped into first place on the ladder.
On a day which paid tribute to the 100-year anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, both sides brought their A-game to pay their respect.
Following a touching ANZAC Day ceremony, it was the home side who got off to the better start, bursting out of the blocks with a running goal to recruit Ben Irving.
Heidelberg kept that attacking pressure up for the first part of the opening quarter, but the Roos were able to fight back against the run of play after Lucas Hobbs, who took a brilliant high mark, threaded the needle through from the boundary line to tie proceedings.
Plenty of contested play saw out the first term, as well as a couple of goal exchanges, but it was the Tigers who held the early buffer, leading by five points at the first break.
After a 15-minute arm wrestle at the start of the second term, it was Heidelberg who broke the deadlock after very clever overhead handpass from Daniel Archer found his captain Jason Kennedy open in space to extend the Tigers’ lead.
But the Roos replied instantly, as Justin White kicked a scrappy goal to bring the margin back within a kick.
The scoring opened up as the game became more free-flowing and Heidelberg returned serve quickly with a goal through Jordan Treloar.
The Tigers didn’t stop there, with Treloar kicking his second in a row and Archer kicking a goal on the half-time siren to see Heidelberg hold a 24-point buffer at the main break.
The heavens above in the second half, but the rain and slippery conditions didn’t stop Shane Doherty getting Macleod off to the perfect start in the third term, kicking a neat dribble goal.
The potential Kangaroo charge was put on hold as after a bruising passage of play ended with Heidelberg kicking a goal through Chris Cullinan, giving the home side a 25-point lead midway through the third term.
The Roos were able to get one back late in the quarter but the Tigers still held a handy 19-point lead at the last change in a rain-affected affair.
Macleod was required to take the game on at the start of the fourth term and it did, with a second goal to Lucas Hobbs within the first two minutes of the last term starting the Macleod revival.
Hobbs’ major was followed by goals to John Andrew and Joel Kidd, who goaled in the 22nd minute of the quarter, to have the Roos trailing by just two points with only minutes remaining.
Anthony Doherty had the Macleod faithful on their feet, kicking a superb running goal to give his side a four-point advantage in the dying stages, as the Roos looked destined for their second come-from-behind win in as many weeks.
However the visitors were denied as Heidelberg snatched the lead back at the death and sealed the win with a great coast-to-coast play which ended with a Kieran Andrew bomb from 50m on the run.
Macleod will look to bounce back at home in Round 4 when it tackles Bundoora, whilst the Tigers will look to keep extend their unbeaten run to four games when they travel to West Preston-Lakeside.
Final score: Heidelberg 9.8 (62) def Macleod 9.6 (60)
