A late Munari goal was enough to get Gordon over the line against Rokewood-Corindhap

The Grasshoppers led late into the fourth quarter, until Munari managed to bring the ball to ground in the goal square and kick a clutch goal, giving the Eagles the lead.

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Rokewood managed to enter its inside 50 with a centre clearance straight away, but couldn't penetrate Gordon's defence, the Eagles holding on to win 6.14 (50) to 7.6 (48).

Both coaches mentioned the hard fought contest displayed, neither team able to get on a run and kick away.

"They really stuck it up to us, they play a pretty similar game style to us," Gordon co-coach Adam Toohey said.

"We sort of wasted a few chances in front of goal and they kept hanging around and really nearly should have had us in the end."

Rokewood-Corindhap co-coach Shaune Moloney echoed Toohey's comments.

"It was an arm wrestle all day, neither side really got going, it was just high pressure football, dare I say it finals like pressure," he said.

"No side would give an inch ... the biggest margin all day was about seven or eight points."

For Gordon, its a close win with key senior personnel out that it may have needed given its dominance through its first six games.

It led at every change but by no more than seven points, when it was 15-8 at quarter time.

"It's important to have these close games and these good tests because they're going to happen at the end of the year," Toohey said.

"We're going to have games that are decided by under a goal and you can look back at (this game), you can look back at Hepburn and say 'look our best is better than them, so lets just make sure we bring it.'"

For Rokewood, it's a disappointing loss but confidence building knowing it can match it with the best.

"It means we're there abouts, you're always trying to work out where you fit and how your side's going ... it means we deserve to be playing finals and that's what we're going to try and do," Moloney said.

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