Seymour’s 2024 Goulburn Valley League season has been soured by a high number of injuries, which has led to the Lions almost certainly missing finals this year after finishing in second spot in 2023.
On Saturday afternoon, the Lions faced another team severely hit by injury, Tatura, and for the first time this season Seymour fully flexed its muscles.
Despite the dour and wintry conditions, Seymour was dogged throughout the match, never scoring less than 43 points in a quarter.
Seymour went on to win the match 210-15, finishing the day with an incredible 50 scoring shots.
The 2024 season may have been disappointing for the red, blue and gold, but two players who have not lowered their colours this year got to put on a show during Saturday’s match.
Young key forward Riley Mason produced his best performance, statistically speaking, in his 51-game career for Seymour.
Mason booted a senior football career-high of 10 goals for the Lions.
The dominant display from the mobile forward elevated Mason to 46 goals from 13 games this season, which means the star Lion now sits second in the league’s goal-kicking tally, four behind Kyabram’s Anthony Depasquale.
Mason was consistent throughout the match, kicking two or three goals in each of the four quarters.
Aside from the bag of 10, Mason also recorded 19 score involvements from 23 disposals, took 14 marks, of which three were contested, and collected eight ground ball gets.
After an impressive first two seasons for the Lions, Mason has grown to become one of the best players in the league during his third.
Which Lion had the better game?
Riley Mason
Ranking points: 193
Goals: 10
Score involvements: 19
Marks inside 50: 14
Disposals: 23 (12 contested)
Nathan Beattie
Ranking points: 202
Disposals: 39 (27 effective)
Tackles: 14 (13 effective)
Clearances: 11
Inside 50s: 9
Goal assists: 5
Score involvements: 14
Alongside him in the hierarchy at Seymour is one of the premier winger-midfielders in the league, Nathan Beattie
Beattie may be much smaller in stature than Mason, but he is equally impressive in his output.
In terms of ranking points, Saturday’s match was Beattie’s best performance in 2024.
Seymour’s zippy star was a ball magnet, collecting 39 disposals (27 effective), 11 clearances, nine inside 50s, 12 goal involvement, five goal assists and one goal.
Arguably, Beattie’s most impressive statistic was his 14 tackles (13 effective).
Seymour nearly doubled Tatura in terms of the disposal count, so registering the most tackles on the ground while also collecting 39 touches and winning by 195 points was an impressive display from the young gun.
The Lions’ season may only have five more games left, but come 2025, if Seymour can enjoy a clean bill of health, plus retain its young stars such as Mason (already signed on for 2025) and Beattie, don’t be surprised to see this team rocket back up the ladder and into premiership contention next season.
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