FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
Moe opened their season 2019 account as expected with a strong performance over Morwell at Morwell Recreation Reserve, 14.17 (101) to 8.7 (55).
The Lions increased their lead at each quarter from two goals up at the first break to three goals at half time and more than five goals at three quarter time before kicking on to win by 46 points.
Moe had multiple goalkickers in Darnell Grech and Spencer White who scored three each, Scott Van Dyk, Bryce Collings and Ashleigh Dugan with two apiece and singles to Bernard Vince and Thomas Fleming.
Dugan, White and Grech featured as best afield with Joel Bragagnolo, Thomas Long and Lachlan Macleod.
For Morwell Joshua Hecker, Daniel Siddle and Zachary Anderson kicked two goals each with singles to Burkeley MacFarlane and Kuiy Jiath.
Hecker, James Jacobsen, Ryan Hearn, Ryan Tatterson, Nathan Noblett and Jiath were named as Morwell’s best.
Drouin v Traralgon
Drouin started season 2019 as it finished last year, carrying the motivation from three consecutive late-season wins to stun Traralgon, 10.16 (76) to 8.13 (61) in round one action at Drouin.
Traralgon held a three-point lead at the first break but a goal just short of the two minute mark in the second quarter by Drouin’s Rhys Salter put the Hawks in front and they were never headed for the rest of the match.
They led by two points at half-time, 18 points at three quarter time and closed out a solid performance with a 15 point victory over a team that came from fifth place last season to narrowly miss a spot in the grand final.
Salter led the way with three goals, ably supported by Edward Morris and Ryan Taylor with two each and singles by Bailey Beck, Todd Beck and Bob McCallum.
Best players for Drouin were Joseph Collins, Harry Wans, Brendan Dower, Beck and Jackson Kos.
Traralgon’s goalkickers were Dylan Loprese (3), Riley Loprese (2) and one each to Kody Wilson, Troy Forest and Lee Stockdale.
Best afield for the Maroons were Jackson Hall, Bailey Cameron, Dylan Loprese, Mark Collison, Chris Thuring and Forrest.
Leongatha v Maffra
Leongatha unfurled their premiership flag in a grand final rematch against Maffra and showed why they will be the team to watch again in season 2019 as they ground out a gritty 12 point victory.
The Parrots held Maffra goalless in the first quarter while knocking up three of their own. By half time, the Parrots had added just two more goals while Maffra got on the board with three of their own to send Leongatha into the long break with a 17-point advantage.
It was three more goals to the Eagles in the third quarter but the Parrots more than matched them with four of their own. The final quarter was won three goals to one by the Eagles but Leongatha’s early efforts saw them hold on, 10.11 (71) to 9.5 (59).
Scoring majors for the Parrots were James Lloyd (3), Josh Hopkins (2), Christopher Dunne, Cade Maskell, Joshua Schelling, John Ginnane and Nathan Trotto, all with one to their names.
Leongatha’s best were Sam Forrester, Maskell, Hopkins, Matthew Borschman, Kyle Cooper and Ben Willis.
The Eagles had three multiple goalkickers with Andrew Petrou, Jack Johnstone and Curtley Nettleton booting two each.
Kade Renooy, Danny Butcher, Johnstone, Hudson Holmes, Daniel Bedggood, Nettleton were named as Maffra’s best.
Sale v Bairnsdale
Sale played host to Bairnsdale in a match that lived up to expectations of a tight contest that saw the home team scrape home with a three point win, 16.16 (102 to 15.9 (99).
Scores were tied on three goals, two behinds apiece at quarter-time while Bairnsdale managed a mini break at half-time.
However, Sale clawed back to be just three points down at the final break before outscoring Bairnsdale to snare victory.
Sale shared the workload with 11 players kicking majors in their final tally of 16 goals. Jarrod Freeman (3), Mitchell Dowse, Jack McLindin and Kane Martin added two each while Shane Fyfe, Jack McLaren, Thomas Hams, Jordan Dessent, Oliver Collins, Daine McGuiness, Jack Allman kicked one each.
Best for Sale were Hams, Dowse, McLaren, Jack Lipman, Martin and Dessent.
Brayden McCarrey opened his season account with five goals for Bairnsdale followed by Ethan East (4), Russell Cowan (2) with singles to William Hamilton, Callan McKeon, Nathan Dennison, S Wyatt
Bairnsdale’s best were Dylan Somerville, Brayden Radford, Cowan, Wyatt, McCarrey and Shaun Deery.
