The Cats controlled proceedings for much of Saturday's clash at Mooroopna Recreation Reserve on August 8, with Jack Johnston booting five goals as the home side prevailed 15.10 (100) to 5.10 (40).
It was a valuable four points in an increasingly congested finals race, lifting Mooroopna to a 9-7 record and 36 points, putting John Lamont’s side level with fourth-placed Kyabram but sitting fifth via an inferior percentage.
The Cats could scarcely have asked for a better opening.
Dan Tuddenham kicked the game's first goal before Johnston struck twice and Reeve Evans added another, helping Mooroopna establish a 4.1 (25) to 0.3 (3) quarter-time advantage.
Euroa finally found its way through the Cats' defence during the second term and produced its best quarter of the afternoon, kicking 2.4 to Mooroopna's 3.3.
Magpies skipper Jett Trotter and Jack Frewen provided the goals, but Johnston continued to cause headaches at the opposite end.
The Mooroopna spearhead kicked another two majors during the term to take his tally to four before half-time, while Harrison Bell also found the big sticks as the Cats carried a 27-point advantage into the main break, 7.4 (46) to 2.7 (19).
Euroa briefly threatened to make things interesting after the restart as Darby Wilson and Mitchell Walters both kicked goals during the third term, but every Magpies challenge was met with a Mooroopna response.
Johnston completed his five-goal afternoon, while Isaac Dowling and Oscar Emanuelli also struck before Toby Williams' late major helped the Cats win the quarter and extend their lead to 40 points at the final change.
There would be no way back for Euroa from there.
Mooroopna finished the contest strongly with another 4.3 to 1.1 in the final term, with Kobie Issell, Harrison Bell and Jed Woods among those to get on the scoresheet.
Johnston led the way with five goals, while Bell and Woods finished with two apiece.
Cats coach John Lamont spoke with pride about his side’s performance, after a fifth win out of their last six outings.
“Coming off a bye and with Euroa having won their last three games - including against Seymour and Mansfield - we wanted to start well,” he said.
“We wanted to get the game on our terms as soon as we could and we did that, creating a buffer before building on that each quarter.
“So I was really pleased with their execution of the instructions, we wanted to shut Euroa out as soon as we could and not let them get up and about.
“We started well and got control for the four quarters.”
The result leaves the Cats firmly in the thick of the GVL's battle for the remaining finals positions.
Mooroopna sits fifth on 36 points, four points clear of Shepparton United and Rochester and two ahead of the Shepparton Swans, with Mansfield up next before a closing game against Echuca.
