THE Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels were steaming towards their third win of the season on Saturday afternoon and looking to show - again - why they're the benchmark of the AFL Central West 2019 season.
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However, when the full-time siren at Waratahs sounded it was not a third win from as many games for the Rebels. It was the Orange Tigers who emerged 10-7-77 to 9-12-76 victors.
Despite going into the final quarter three goals up the Tigers lifted, with an Andrew Nelson kick 20 seconds before the siren seeing the hosts claim the win.
Rebels had the Tigers on the ropes, having dominated the midfield on the back of Matt Archer and Andrew James.
However, with no fresh legs on the bench and the Tigers surging through Angus Henderson, Mick Evans, Logan Crimp and Luke Thorley in the middle, Nelson kicked two last-quarter goals to claim the win.
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He said it was "pretty special" to kick the last goal, but the ruckman said he wasn't the Tigers' hero of the day.
"[The goal] was a bit of reward for effort for the boys up the ground, we put our backs under the pump all day and our midfield probably got beaten in the clearances but just scrapped it out," he said.
"You can't kick goals if they don't kick it to you.
"Coming into the game we spoke that the Rebels are probably the yardstick of the competition when you look at their team on paper, obviously they had a couple out but you can only beat what they put on the field."
The ball sling-shotted from end-to-end as both sides ran out of legs in the final term, but kicking with the breeze, the Tigers were able to do more forward of centre and their defence held the Bushrangers forward line to just three scoring shots.
The Rebels showed why they were the yardstick early, consistently kicking over the top of the Tigers' defence and running into goal.
Archer picking up three goals from the midfield while fellow co-coach Tim Hunter also kicked three.
Despite dominance in the ruck from Nelson and Mark Mori, the Rebels midfield were able to shark the ball and win the clearances.
Their handball chains carved up the Tigers' half-back line, giving the visitors an 11-point lead at the long break and 18 points at three-quarter-time.
Hunter, the Rebels' skipper, said it was a "really good contest" but was annoyed the side let the win slip.
"It's always disappointing to go down that way but that's footy sometimes, it was a tough old game and if it comes down to the last kick we've definitely got some things we need to work on," he said.
He said he'd need to wait and see on the fitness of the injured Thomas Murphy and James who among those unable to run the game out.
"It was a tough finish but that's footy and you can't use that as an excuse, we had 18 out there in the end so just couldn't get the job done," he said.
"We didn't have many rotations, Tommy Murphy, it's a tough old game and some days you don't get it done and today was one of those days."
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He lauded the performance of young guns Andrew Knox and James Smith, both of whom put their heads over the ball in the midfield, especially towards the back end of the contest.
"I was really impressed with some of the blokes who stood up, some of the young kids that put their head over it playing a seasoned team in Orange," Hunter said.
The Rebels will have a week off to assess the game, with Hunter saying composure with ball in hand was one of the few different things the side would work on ahead of next weekend's bye.