FOOTBALL
MID GIPPSLAND
It’s the half-way mark of the Mid Gippsland Football League season and it’s also D-day for several clubs including Mirboo North who come up against Yallourn/Yallourn North this weekend.
Mirboo North have followed their early season slump of four consecutive losses with a month of wins and sit in fourth spot on the ladder.
Yallourn/Yallourn North have done little wrong since round one and their seven wins in succession put them at the top of the table.
The Bombers pace, coupled with a nice balance of experience and youthful enthusiasm, appears to be a perfect blend – especially when you sprinkle in a couple of in-form key forwards like Dean Macdonald and Keenan Hughes.
Macdonald and Hughes combined for 22 goals between them last week against Boolarra.
The Tigers have been quietly going about their business, improving each week and relying on a good spread of contributors across the ground.
They too have a healthy amount of talent but it has been the efforts of many that has pleased coach Josh Taylor.
They might not have a Macdonald or Hughes but they do have half a dozen go-to forwards that create marking space and are difficult to match-up on.
Yarragon v Hill End
It was months of hard work in the making when Yarragon notched their second win of the season last week, upsetting their more fancied rivals Morwell East.
The Panthers had been promising to grab the points for some weeks with strong performances against better oppositions like Trafalgar and Yinnar an indication a win was on the way.
Now with two wins on the board for the season, Yarragon find themselves chasing two in a row with dreams of clawing their way into the five still alive.
Hill End have been battling courageously in recent weeks but injuries have been an issue for the Rovers.
Yarragon remain a key forward or two short of lifting themselves to the next level which will help their cause immensely.
Thorpdale v Newborough
Two tough teams of the MGFL will go head-to-head this weekend when Thorpdale hosts Newborough.
The Blues have some big bodies that won’t mind the inevitable clashes.
Newborough were left standing still last week as Mirboo North’s skills gave them a healthy break.
It was then that coach Tom Hallinan decided it was time for every one of his charges to be responsible for their own performance and to match up one-on-one across the ground.
Don’t be surprised if the wily coach pulls the same tactic this week.
The Blues have been in great form and are every chance to turn at the half-way mark at seven and two so far, but one thing is for sure – there will be some sore bodies come Sunday morning.
Trafalgar v Morwell East
Trafalgar have made a name for themselves as the side to beat in tight games with last week’s winning margin of two points over Yinnar another example this Bloods side is ready to take a place in the post-season action.
There is every chance Trafalgar will have the enviable record of eight wins and one loss by the end of round nine by which time they’ll be breathing down the neck of the Bombers in top spot.
Morwell East coughed one up last week when they were beaten by Yarragon.
The Hawks had managed to bluff their way into fifth spot prior to last week’s loss – their form is patchy but their results are undeniable.
There was to be no great escape against the desperate Panthers though.
This week they meet a very disciplined, well structured side that will expose any shortcuts, so the Hawks appear to be in for a tough ride.
Boolarra v Yinnar
There is always a story behind every battler that is every bit as good as those at the other end.
Boolarra work every bit as hard as other clubs and their coach and community have not faltered in the slightest, despite being hammered from pillar to post for all of this year, all of last year and most of the season before that.
Still they keep fronting up, come to train, to improve and be with their mates.
There are no celebrations at game’s end and it appears any celebration of victory might well be quite a while away.
The time will come and all the heartache, the losses and frustrations will be forgotten, if only for a week.
