The Narrandera Imperial Eagles’ Football Netball Club (Eagles) senior team has officially bowed out of contention for securing a finals berth, following a 70-point loss in their Riverina Football League game last Saturday.

The Eagles 3.4 (22) were defeated by the Wagga Tigers 13.14 (92) on home turf at the Narrandera Sportsground.

The slim hope of the Eagles playing finals football has been dashed.

With just seven games left to play and a maximum of 14 points on offer, it is mathematically impossible for the Eagles to reach the finals this season as they sit 16 points behind the fifth-placed team on the ladder.

Kicking just a single behind in the opening quarter, the Eagles found themselves trailing by four goals going into the second stanza.

In a close second quarter, the Eagles kicked two goals and a behind to keep within touch, heading into the main break with a 26-point deficit.

After the restart, the Tigers’ winning margin had blown out to 44 points, but they were just starting to warm up as worse was to come for the Eagles.

The Eagles kicked two behinds in the final quarter while the Tigers booted four goals and four behinds to extend the winning margin.

Their goal kickers included Samuel Severin (2) and one for Dylan Knagge.

The Eagles’ best players were Darcy Mimmo, Blake Renet, Samuel Severin, Issaac Carroll, Christian Davis and James Smith.

Meanwhile, the Eagles’ reserves 6.7 (43) also lost to the Tigers 6.15 (51), but were involved in a much closer contest, going down by just seven points.

The reserves trailed by just five points at the end of the opening quarter, but hit back in the following quarter to take a slender two-point lead into the main break.

A close third quarter resulted in the Tigers coming out slightly on top, taking a single-point lead into the final quarter, but the Tigers held on to claim the competition points as the final siren sounded.

The Eagles’ goal kickers were Andrew Beal (2) and one each for Cooper Irons, Tomas van Buuren, Jacob Bolton and Drew Matthews.

Their best players included Austyn Rankin, Alex Wright, Brandon Hall, Maxwell Rainbird, Andrew Beal and Shaun Quilter.

The Eagles’ Under 18s 7.8 (50) made it eight straight wins after seeing off the Tigers 6.8 (44) during a tight game.

Trailing at the end of the first three quarters, the Eagles left it late to seize the competition points.

Just a single point, in the Tigers’ favour, separated the two teams at the end of the first quarter.

The Eagles fell slightly further behind as the Tigers took an eight-point lead at halftime and then reduced the margin to seven points after the restart.

With everything to play for heading into the final quarter, the Eagles knuckled down and took the ascendancy, booting three goals and two behinds to the Tigers’ one goal and single behind to emerge triumphant by a single goal margin.

The Eagles’ goal kickers included Huxley Coelli (3) Felix Warren-Porteous (3) and one for Archie Boag.

Their best players were Jacob Hutchins, Archie Boag, Jaxon Curry, Riley Anderson, Felix Warren-Porteous and Huxley Coelli.

The Eagles will have the weekend off to re-group with a bye on Saturday.