FOOTBALL
MID GIPPSLAND
Last year’s grand finalists put on a match to remember for fans at the weekend, but everyone went home with only half of what they wanted after scores were tied at the final siren, Yinnar 8.6 (54) to Mirboo North 7.12 (54).
The Magpies have always been tough to beat at home, but this game carried extra significance given their opponents have been on the move in the past month and have their eyes set on a top-three spot.
The early contests showed the match was going to be hard-fought, with both sides throwing themselves into each and every opportunity in what felt like finals football in June.
At half-time the Tigers led by three points.
It was to be the biggest margin of the day.
Mirboo North’s Tim Trail, Josh Taylor, Lloyd Powell, Joe Brooks and Julian Blackford had plenty of the ball but the margin was still just one point the difference in favour of the visitors.
Yinnar were up by a point when the final siren sounded, and the kick of Tigers coach Josh Taylor was touched on the line to make it a draw.
“Both teams were undermanned and the second half there was a lot of rain, so it was a real fight for most of the day. It was close all day and a wet slog and they did get away from us late and we were lucky to claw our way back,” Yinnar coach Jaime Aitken said.
“They did miss a couple, but there was a lot of rushed behinds.
“We were winning clearances, but they had more inside 50s and I was really happy with the way our defence stood up in the end.”
For the home side Seb Famularo, Brendan Chapman, Jaime Aitken, Daniel Webster, Liam Maynard and Matt Lewellin were just a handful of the contributors.
Newborough v Yarragon
Newborough will put it down to yet another one that got away after leading for most of the day and drawing with Yarragon, 6.5 (41) to Yarragon 6.5 (41).
The Bulldogs had all the attack early and burst to a 21-point lead at quarter-time.
For the Bulldogs, Michael Gelagotis had three goals to half-time, while Damon Hansen, Patrick Charles and Zac Register all had one each, but that was to be it as far as goals were concerned for the rest of the game.
The Panthers started to roll forward and close the margin, with better players including Michael Whyte, Brad Wolfe, Thomas Follett, Jake Cropley, Tim Farthing and Paul Carmody.
Even at three-quarter-time, Newborough still had a 15-point margin and were in the box seat, but they were also out on their feet as Yarragon continued their surge.
As the final siren sounded, scores were locked on 41 apiece – the second draw of round 10.
“For me it’s either work or walk, and we walked,” Newborough coach Tom Hallinan said.
YYN v Thorpdale
Yallourn/Yallourn North flexed their muscle in the second half against Thorpdale, running out comfortable winners, 13.6 (84) to 5.8 (38).
The home side got off to a solid start and a tempo of hard running complimented by a steely focus on the ball.
Thorpdale rallied mid-way through the quarter, but several surges forward were not rewarded with goals.
Two incidents may have turned the game on its head within minutes – an injury to playing coach Josh Collie had him taken from the ground, and a goal after the quarter-time siren to Dylan Bentley gave the Bombers a 16-point lead and an extra man on the bench.
The margin continued to balloon and the hurt for Thorpdale stopped at the final siren to the tune of 46 points.
“They are a good side they beat us in round one,” Bombers coach Barrie Burnett said.
“They run hard, they work hard … we just had to match them today, be first in and we were today.
“We know we’re probably one of the fitter sides and we got plenty of speed running around … [if] we can just apply ourselves and be first in for the footy, we can beat anyone.”
Boolarra v Morwell East
It took four full quarters for Morwell East to shake off a desperate Boolarra side, 13.6 (84) to 6.9 (45)
The Demons had a sniff of a possible win and locked into it early on in the piece.
Morwell had most of the ball in the opening quarter, but their lead of two goals at quarter-time was not seen as a bridge too far for the Demons, who have confronted much worse scenarios for most of this season.
Boolarra got their teeth into the game during the second quarter and found themselves in the unusual position of being in front at the major break – albeit by just two points.
The break may have been just what Morwell East needed, as they came out in the third quarter with a new intensity and the realisation that they might well be Boolarra’s first scalp for years.
The visitors grabbed some much needed breathing space, with both Nick Campbell and Lucas Towns kicking four goals each by game’s end.
Trafalgar v Hill End
Trafalgar got the points in what was possibly the only highlight of the day for the Bloods, defeating Hill End in the lowest scoring match of the weekend, 5.9 (39) to 2.4 (16).
The Bloods were expected to start the second half of the season as they did the first given their opponents had been hit hard injuries, while the league leaders have enjoyed a relatively stress-free first half of the year.
Trafalgar were dealt a shock, however, with the Rovers throwing themselves into the contest like they expected to win.
Third quarters are also known as premiership quarters, where good sides grab a break that also secures a win, and this is also what happened for Trafalgar.
Austin Byrne, Jared Croxford, Darcy Brock, Ashley James, Daniel Puglia and Tyson Leys helped their side to the win in the end. “Hill End played a good brand of footy. They got plenty behind the ball and did it well, it was really just our class players that got us over the line,” Bloods coach Clint Einsiedel said.
