FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
By LIAM DURKIN
THE Gippsland League completed Round 7 at the weekend.Three matches featured for the second half of the split round for the last lot of games before winter officially starts.
With the trial of winter now here, teams across the league will be faced with what is traditionally the toughest time of year as the nights get colder and longer.
Time to embrace the grind.
Moe 13.14 (92) def Morwell 7.6 (48)
MOE broke away from Morwell following a dour first half.
The Lions consolidated their position further atop the competition ladder, winning 13.14 (92) to 7.6 (48) at Morwell Recreation Reserve.
Such a score line was befitting of a match that never reached great heights, with the final 44 point margin accurately reflecting the gap between the two sides.
As is often the case between an experienced team and one on the rise, the home side stayed in the contest up until the main break, before Moe made its move in the third term.
The Lions kicked five goals to two in premiership quarter, to take what ended up being a safe 39 point lead at the final change.
Morwell kept Moe honest with consecutive goals in red time, the first coming from Dan Musil running into an unguarded square, and the second from a screw kick that found the chest of Brandon McDonald.
However, as has been an unfortunate reality for the Tigers at times this season, skill execution at critical stages became their biggest downfall.
Some surely demoralising passages occurred, not least when a goal-side uncontested mark was put down, and the ball then went down the other end for a Moe goal.
That passage may well have summed up the difference in class out on the paddock. While Morwell dropped a chest mark, Moe playing-coach Leigh Poholke took a one-hander and goaled straight after.
League historian Paul Carter has a stat for just about everything, but it is doubtful even he knows the record for the most number of dropped chest marks by one team in a senior game.
Morwell may well have set the record at the weekend.
Admittedly the sun got in the eyes of players at times kicking toward the Princes Highway, but that could hardly excuse a few others that were turfed.
The irony was surely not lost given former Sheffield Shield cricketer, Brad Knowles was spotted at the game, and the man central to creating the Cricket Latrobe Valley league, Tim Darby is a Tigers assistant coach.
“Catches win matches”.
Another dagger was felt when Lions key forward Ben Crocker goaled after the halftime siren, turning what would have been a 10-point deficit into something suddenly greater.
Crocker finished with seven goals, including a couple out of the trick bag featuring a snap on the run in the third kicking toward the disused/used depending on what the definition is, mine.
Crocker has kicked seven, eight and eight goals in the last three games. He is the first to do so since Traralgon great and current Marrons assistant coach, Paul ‘Jumbo’ McCulloch in 1994.
Morwell remained optimistic around the three quarter time huddle, with the words “why can’t we?” muttered in rallying fashion.
McDonald went into the midfield for the final quarter, following the move of usual key defender Harri McColl forward after halftime.
The former took a good grab and checked his kick smartly to find the latter at the four minute mark, yet the resultant set shot went wide.
A fairly non-atmospheric game played out from there, which was somewhat surprising given Morwell was only 23 points down after Tyler Hillier nursed through a set shot at the 10 minute mark.
The non-celebration was perhaps the most telling indication even the home side thought their chances were shot.
Moe capitalised on this, with Crocker marking on the lead two minutes later to snuff out any hopes.
Lions favourite Justin Morrow found Crocker again on the lead with a perfectly weighted pass, before the pair raffled off a goal with Poholke.
The junior Poholke, Myles, showed the mark of what makes the best players in the league stand out, coming through with a flying fist from some distance to prevent a Tiger chain happening.
Myles was best for the winners, followed by Nathan Scagliarini, Ben Daniher, Harry Pepper, Chris Prowse and Declan Keilty.
The Tigers may need to thank Sale when the regular season is done, as the Magpies’ upset win over Bairnsdale meant Morwell stayed inside the top five.
Anthony Rosato, who required two jumpers after having his ripped in the first half, was best for Morwell.
Stephen Mills, skipper Aidan Quigley, coach Boyd Bailey, Sam Walsh and Josh Galea also played well.
Galea to his credit recovered well after what would have been a tough first half for a different reason when a kick of his went astray and smashed a spectator’s windscreen.
If it makes him feel any better, this author once totalled someone’s car on the gate at Wonthaggi.
Morwell faces a danger game against Sale on the Magpies home deck this weekend.
Moe meanwhile host Warragul, who will be fresh courtesy of a week off.
The Gulls employed roughhouse tactics against the Lions last year, targeting star Moe midfielder Riley Baldi, and some interest will surround Moe’s response should there be a repeat.
More than a few eyebrows were raised last season after Baldi was seemingly left to fight alone, with his twin brother Trent the only other person to fly the flag after getting back on the ground from the interchange.
Moe will hope to have Riley Baldi available a few more times this season, after he was overlooked in the AFL midseason draft.
Sale 12.11 (83) def Bairnsdale 11.12 (78)
HOW costly will this loss prove for Bairnsdale?
The Redlegs slipped behind in the win-loss column after going down to Sale by five points.
The Magpies showed what a difference a win can do for morale, getting up 12.11 (83) to 11.12 (78) at home.
Sale had looked indifferent just before the bye, but have now won two of their last four games.
The home side had to overcome a four goal to one false start, before holding off Bairnsdale in an exciting finish.
The Magpies had as many scoring shots as their opponents in the first term, but registered 1.3 (9) to 4.0 (24).
Sale straightened up from there, and held a seven point lead by three quarter time.
Cooper Whitehill was best for the black and white, while Ashton Wright, Will Leslie, Kane Cutler, Shannen Lange and Jack Leslie made solid contributions.
Availability certainly helped the Magpies, with Wright playing his first game since Sale’s last win in Round 4, and club legend Jordan Dessent back out on the park.
Sale would have also been pleased to see Cutler in the best in his second year out of under 18s. Cutler did his apprenticeship in the reserves last season, playing 11 games, and has played every senior game so far this season.
Former Richmond player Derek Eggmolesse-Smith also returned via the reserves at the weekend.
Jamie Dore kicked five goals for Bairnsdale, while Ricky Tatnell, Cooper Vickery, Will Mitchell, Josh Lando and Oscar Clarke were serviceable.
Leongatha 23.19 (157) def Drouin 3.4 (22)
NO surprises out at Parrot Park.
Leongatha crushed Drouin by 135 points, 23.19 (157) to 3.4 (22).
Tom Marriott and Justin Pellicano kicked four goals each, and were helped along by Luke Bowman, Ben Harding, Jack Hume and Kim Drew.
About the only talking point to come out of the day happened in the early game, when Flynn Materia fronted up for the Leongatha reserves.
Materia, who won the reserves league goal-kicking last season, defected to Mid Gippsland club Foster in the offseason seeking more senior opportunity.
However, after starting the year in the seniors, it is understood he had been struggling to hold his place, and opted to head back to the Parrots to play with mates before clearances closed.
The travelling Hawks battled hard, and ticked off another week counting down the days until they can get back on their redeveloped oval.
Kaiden Walmsley, Max Williames, Caleb Quirk, Tom Unferdorben, Kaden Gregg and Zayne Atkins put in honest stints.
As if Drouin’s predicament wasn’t tough enough already, they went into the game without Seb Amoroso, who was on VFL duties.
The winless Hawks will hope to get some reward for effort soon, and will entertain thoughts of victory against Maffra at Trafalgar this Saturday.
Some sympathy for Drouin is surely forthcoming.
Most of us who have played football for long enough will know how tough it can be when you are in a struggling side.
Everything is harder when you are in a bad team: you chase more, get tackled more, get hit harder, and see countless kicks and handballs either go over your head or fall short.
Comparatively, as one local player, having gone from a winless team last season to now playing for a top Gippsland League side simply said: “it’s a lot easier.”
