The home team was opened up from the stoppages — an area it had been on top of in the first half — and the Cats found free players at will to run in and goal.

However, Mooroopna did need those goals from the midfield as arguably Echuca’s best two players in Jordan Florance and Matt Hay did superb jobs on forwards Rob Osborne and Daniel Lewis respectively.

For the number of times the ball came into the attacking 50m, Osborne was held to three goals — two from marks in the goal-square and one free-kick — while Lewis’s solitary major came at the 26-minute mark of the final quarter.

Simon Buckley was indefatigable as he accumulated 30 touches and three goals, while Tom Stevens continued his run of good form with 23 possessions and two goals.

Rhys Archard — playing primarily because of his close relationship with Prendergast — struggled with his calf injury throughout the day, but finished with five goals from 10 touches.

Jordan Williams (24) and Matt Pollock (19) also tried hard in and around the packs, while Prendergast was the only other Murray Bomber to kick a goal.

Mitch Keddell was absolutely superb for Mooroopna in a best-on-ground performance, gathering possessions at will and also slotting three goals.

He was well supported by fellow running players Karl Lohde, Dylan Cornick, Bayden Fallon, Tom Crosbie and Charlie Burrows, while 16-year-old Dean Smith kicked three third-quarter goals.

Smith was one of eight multiple goal-kickers for the Cats, with players queuing up for a free shot at goal at times in the second half.

The Cats started the game with the wind favouring their direction and Keddell was busy early, but it was Stevens who kicked the first goal of the game with a right-foot snap.

Burrows replied for the Cats and then goaled again five minutes later from a stoppage to give his team the lead.

Buckley battled with his opponents around the packs all day but was at his most damaging when streaming away from a stoppage, as he goaled from 40m to give Echuca back the lead halfway through the term.

Mooroopna then gradually took control of the contest and led by two goals at the first break after Ashton Cashion and Osborne converted their chances.

Echuca coach Cameron Stewart was pleased with his team’s efforts around the stoppages, which it led 20-7 at the first break, but wanted the players to improve their decision-making and execution with the ball.

Keddell goaled from a set shot within the first minute of the quarter and Kane Boyer steadied and goaled soon after to extend the gap to 22 points.

Archard, who did not touch the ball in the opening period, was then the beneficiary of another Buckley burst from a pack and long kick to goal, but Jake Kyle replied for the Cats.

The Murray Bombers kept coming though and a running goal from Prendergast earned the biggest cheer of the day.

After yet another Cat reply, a good Echuca move with disposals to Williams, Pollock and Stevens saw Archard goal after the half-time siren from a good diving mark, with the visitors holding a 52-35 advantage.

Unfortunately for the home team, it was all Mooroopna in the second half.

Keddell started the third quarter as he did the second, with a classy left-footed goal, before majors to Fallon, Osborne, Keddell again and two to Smith saw the margin quickly blown out to 55 points.

Echuca only made their first entry inside 50m in the 13th minute of the quarter, with Archard goaling from the second, but the Cats finished off the term with another two goals to lead by 60 points at the final break, with Stewart asking his players for one more big effort for Prendergast.

In an open last quarter, Archard kicked a further two goals — one after a great pick-up and diving handball from Williams — with Buckley kicking two and Stevens one as the visitors added seven goals of their own to run out 73-point winners and ultimately doubling the home team’s score.