LIAM DURKIN
FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE By LIAM DURKIN EVEN Sean Westaway is kicking goals. The veteran Leongatha defender kicked just his fourth senior goal on Saturday during the Parrots 18.10 (118) to 12.9 (81) win over Traralgon. It was Westaway’s first goal since 2014. It was Leongatha’s 29th win in a row. The Parrots continued the longest winning streak out of any team in country Victoria, breaking away from the Maroons in the last quarter at Terry Hunter Oval. Up until three quarter time, it was anyone’s game, but Leongatha kicked away in the final term, with six goals to one. The Maroons started with a blaze, scoring five goals in the opening quarter. The Parrots responded with seven goals, highlighting the fact there was clearly a scoring end. Taking a 15-point lead into the main break, the visitors withstood a spirited showing from Traralgon, as honours were shared heading into the last. Unfortunately for Traralgon, they were put to rest in the last 20 minutes. While a 37-point loss was less than ideal, the Maroons won’t be overly concerned given it was their first outing, and for many, the first time they had played together. By comparison, the Leongatha side is made up mostly of players who have played a lot of games together. It is said great teams need to play at least 100 games together. The Parrots would well and truly be in this bracket by now. Pleasing signs for Traralgon would be the number of local players making up their side. The Maroons had 18-one point players in the line-up on Saturday, and came well under their points, only using 28 out of an allocated 40. The Maroons have made an effort to get ‘Traralgon people’ back around the club in recent years, and they have added to the list this season with the likes of Jackson McMahon and Connor Ambler returning. McMahon and Ambler were among the best players, while fellow local Jordan Cunico and playing-coach Jake Best are at least two players to come back into the side. Best changes the forward line dynamic substantially, and while he might not kick six/seven goals himself to make up the deficit seen in this match, he could easily have a hand in just as many. Promising signs for Traralgon came from Harvey Neocleous, who kicked a career-high five goals. Vice captain Tye Hourigan also played well, as did Hugh Dunbar and Joel Scholtes. Leongatha was well served by Jenson Garnham (four goals), Aaron Heppell, Ben Willis, Jake van der Pligt and Josh Hopkins, while a goal was enough to get Westaway a nod in the best players. There is something oddly heartwarming whenever a key defender sneaks forward and kicks a goal, and the Parrots were quick to celebrate Westaway allowing the goal umpire to point two fingers forward. Like tailenders batting in cricket, key defenders going for goal provides light entertainment. These aren’t men designed for kicking goals. When you think key defenders you think of men with simple haircuts doing nothing more than punching the ball out of danger. It isn’t glamourous, but their efforts don’t go unnoticed. It was said Bruce Doull once only had three kicks for the day – and was easily the best player on the ground. Doull kicked 22 goals in 356 games. Alex Rance kicked nine in his 200, and Simon Prestigiacomo three in 233. Westaway has now gone past Prestigiacomo, but has some work to do to catch Rance.
