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Mooroopna bands together to support feline foe

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Helping hand: Mooroopna’s Ryan Kilpatrick shows some love to Rochester’s Mitchell Bright during the club’s round 12 clash last season. Photo by Megan Fisher

Sporting rivalries will take a back seat on Friday evening as Mooroopna Football Netball Club shows its support for Rochester.

Providing plenty of entertainment facing off on the Goulburn Valley League stage last year — including a thrilling elimination final on the football field — the Cats have decided to head up the Midland Hwy and support Rochester Football Netball Club’s fundraising efforts.

Heavily impacted by flooding when the Campaspe River burst its banks last year, the township of Rochester continues to deal with the fallout of the heartbreaking disaster.

Seeing this issue, the Tigers acquired the services of comedian Tom Siegert ‘’The Suburban Footballer’’ to present his show for a club fundraiser — and the Cats are well and truly on board.

Set to send a bus of players and supporters to the fundraising evening, Mooroopna is aiming to raise about $3000 for Rochester, with club president Bill Dowling saying every bit helps.

“We wanted to support the Tigers in a practical way — so we are on our way,” Dowling said.

“We have even had past players from interstate buy a ticket even though they cannot attend.”

No strangers to how flooding can impact a community, Mooroopna fought its own fight last year, with the club pulling together a 250-strong workforce to kick off its own town’s recovery in October.

“We still have players, members and volunteers of our own who are not allowed to return to their homes and are living with parents or friends,” Dowling said.

“So we know first-hand the devastation of floods.

“But we are aware that no-one was hit as hard as Rochester.”

Doors will open at 6.30pm on Friday, with the show getting under way at 7pm at the Rochester Football Netball Club’s clubrooms.

Tickets are available online or at the door for $20, with cash and cards accepted.