'Buzz around the club': Celebrating first win against rival in seven years

The Seagulls' 11.9 (75) to 9.14 (68) come-from-behind victory - they were 21 points down at the half-time - means they're just one game outside the Hampden league top-five entering the 2024 mid-season bye.

Port Fairy coach Dustin McCorkell said the performance meant a lot to the club's passionate supporter base.

It was the first time Port Fairy had defeated Koroit since the 2017 second semi-final.

"To beat a good side like Koroit, long weekend, lots of people around, there was just a really good buzz and feeling around the footy club," he said.

"It was a good reward for a lot of the young kids we've got in our team at the moment."

Hard-working midfielder Isaac Martin put the Seagulls, who had an 18-point lead at quarter-time, back in front in the fourth term.

Small forward Radush Mohan then ensured the result, kicking a goal which extended the gap to seven points.

McCorkell said Port Fairy had to overcome a second-quarter setback to win.

"They got on top in the second quarter - they have some really good onballers who were getting on top in the stoppages and hurting us that way and were putting our young defenders under a fair bit of pressure," he said.

"Credit to the midfield, they worked hard on stopping that and we were able to create some forward 50 opportunities for ourselves. Matt Sully played a great game and Lochie Gunning up in the forward line."

Port Fairy, whose only injury concern was a knee sprain to defender Dylan Gunning, also had two debutants slot into the team.

George Hogan played as a small forward and Tom Conroy was named in the best for his performance across half-back.

"Young George is a Port Fairy boy but he boards down in Melbourne. He plays footy for his school team which is Melbourne Grammar," McCorkell said.

"He's also got a mate, Tom, who plays for Melbourne Grammar who was down here for the weekend.

"I think they only have a couple of games of school footy left so we're hoping to get them a bit more towards the end of the season."

Koroit, which enters the bye in third spot with a 6-3 record, is sweating on a potentially serious leg injury to Harry Noonan.

The Saints, who were again without prime mover Paddy O'Sullivan who was a late omission with hip and back soreness, will heed lessons from the loss to a team "who were better" and whose "big guys controlled the game".

"We were really sharp in the second quarter but apart from that we were fairly poor to be honest," Koroit coach Chris McLaren said.

"Elements of that is the opposition absolutely but some of the things we're doing at the moment is making life difficult for ourselves.

"Some of the turnovers look really bad and I think some of it is skill execution and some of it is decision. We just keeping giving the ball back.

"(But) I don't think the whole time I've coached Koroit I've ever questioned effort."