FOOTBALL

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

By LIAM DURKIN

 

WHILE four Gippsland League clubs competed at the weekend, a further six welcomed a week off.

Round 7 serves as a split round in the Gippsland League with Traralgon doing battle against Wonthaggi and Warragul hosting Maffra last weekend.

A Latrobe Valley showdown between Moe and Morwell highlights the remaining games this weekend that finish Round 7.

 

Wonthaggi 13.6 (84) def Traralgon 11.13 (79)

HAS anyone ever turned a ball that much at Terry Hunter Oval?

A Murali off break denied Traralgon victory over Wonthaggi in a pulsating finish during the first week of the Gippsland League’s split round for Round 7.

The Power held on for dear life, getting up 13.6 (84) to 11.13 (79), but not before drama of the highest order unfolded.

With six points the difference deep in the final term, a kick in from Maroons defender Mitch Membrey was marked by Tye Hourigan, who immediately rolled and sent the ball inside 50.

A huge pack of players flew, the result of which saw star Wonthaggi player Isaac Chugg needing treatment shortly after. The ball trickled to Traralgon’s Kade Ruyters, who sent a hurried snap toward goal.

Adding to the drama, Dylan Loprese looked to be in perfect position goal side to receive the ball, only to lose his footing, as the ball trickled toward goal, deviating at the last moment through for a minor score.

Traralgon kept pressing and throwing numbers forward, with a few heart-in-mouth moments coming right in front of the Maroons faithful assembled on the Deck.

Wonthaggi too had a few nervous moments, especially when key forward Cooper McInnes blatantly punched the ball out of bounds in a panic, gifting the Maroons a deliberate.

Loprese was very nearly the hero for the home side, kicking four goals in the final term.

The Power’s win however was full of merit, especially considering they were 22 points and two soldiers down at halftime.

Victory came at a cost, with Jakeb Thomas breaking his leg in the first quarter, and key defender Fergus O’Connor leaving with a suspected knee injury.

Both sides opted to play possession footy for much of the game, but were let down by the third and fourth kick, meaning a great deal of play was spent between the 50 metre arcs.

Jasper Stone, Jaxon Williams, Kyle Reid, Noah Anderson, Kaj Patterson and Josh Schulz were best for Wonthaggi, in what was a very gutsy win.

Tristen Waack, Jordan Cunico, Connor Ambler, Tye Hourigan, Jackson McMahon and Luis D’Angelo got the plaudits for Traralgon.

Amazingly, heading into the weekend, the score 6.6 (42) had been the losing score on the last three occasions the two teams met.

 

Warragul 12.13 (85) def Maffra 9.8 (62)

ELSEWHERE, Warragul returned to the winners list for the first time since Round 3.

The Gulls overcame a nine-point three quarter time deficit at home to beat Maffra 12.13 (85) to 9.8 (62).

Tom Hobbs, Riley Senini, Sean Masterson, Isaac Wallace, James Harrison and Tom Stern played well for the winners.

Danny Butcher, Harper Wallace, Archer Watt, Jonathan Boyd, Harry Stables and Thomas Scott did likewise for the Eagles.

 

VALLEY rivals Morwell and Moe will clash in Round 7 of the Gippsland League this Saturday.

The Lions will make the short trip down the Princes Highway with full intentions of reclaiming top spot, momentarily held by Wonthaggi by virtue of having played an extra game.

The Tigers will equally rate their chances of an upset, which would see them take their win-loss ledger into the positive.

Morwell currently has a 3-3 record; a somewhat accurate reflection of the side’s performances thus far.

At their best, the Tigers have shown they can match it with the likes of Wonthaggi, Traralgon and Leongatha (all narrow losses), but conversely, uninspiring wins against teams like Maffra (three points), still means questions linger.

Morwell will need to be somewhere near their best against Moe, who went on a scoring spree before the break.

The Lions have cracked the ton in every game since Round 3, and boast a percentage the best part of 200.

Using the mentality that scoreboard pressure is the best pressure, Moe, under new coach Leigh Poholke, may remind league pundits of Maffra under Wayne Butcher, whose philosophy was simply “get to 15 goals as quickly as possible”.

It worked pretty well for the Eagles (nine flags in 19 years).

Morwell has not registered three figures since Round 2, and from the outset, the Tigers’ biggest challenge will be on stopping Moe forwards like Ben Crocker, who already has close to 40 goals for the season.

Tiger’s livewire Brandon McDonald is second on the league goal-kicking, although some distance off Crocker (18 to 35).

McDonald has stated his desire to play in a Morwell premiership, and at the very least, he and his teammates should get a good idea of how they compare against the flag fancies.

The Lions have been in ominous touch, and already people are saying this is the strongest squad Moe has assembled in decades.

With no less than eight AFL/VFL players on the list, there is no doubt it is an extremely good team. If you play seniors for Moe this year, you’ve done very well.

Still, finals are a long way off, and even the best stumble a few times before reaching the top.

The greatest team of all time, the famed Collingwood ‘Machine’, lost four grand finals in seven seasons (1920, ’22, 25-26) before winning four-in-a-row (1927-1930).

 

SPEAKING of Collingwood, the Magpies of Sale host Bairnsdale this Saturday. The Redlegs must win to stay on track of featuring in finals.

Elsewhere, Leongatha will be expected to demolish Drouin at the Aviary.