FOOTBALL
MID GIPPSLAND
By ROB POPPLESTONE
AS we hit the halfway mark of the Mid Gippsland Football-Netball League home-and-away season, the year remains very much alive for at least 11 of the league’s 13 senior clubs.
Eleventh-placed Toora are just two games from fourth-placed Meeniyan Dumbalk United after Round 9.
The second half of 2025 looks set for a thrilling finish in the run to finals.
Morwell East 12.6 (78) def Mirboo North 6.7 (43)
AS important as winning was for an out of sorts Morwell East, even showing some of the fight the Hawks had been renowned for might have been enough to satisfy the faithful as they prepared to take on a Mirboo North outfit who were inside the top six and keen to stay there.
The result was an upset for many, but pleasing for the home side, who finally found some of the form they had been searching for, Morwell East winning 12.6 (78) to 6.7 (43).
Heading into the match with six consecutive losses, Hawks coach Paul Henry was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief.
“Great to be back on the winners list. We will enjoy the win and the celebrations to follow,” he said.
You get the feeling the Hawks needed this victory more than anyone will actually know, especially given they have the bye this weekend, and would have had to spend a fortnight brewing on a season wasted.
However, even with that one win, the future looks a little brighter.
The news was not so good for Mirboo North. The Tigers would have thought they could bank the points in this one, but after leading at the first break, couldn’t string any serious passages of play together.
“Disappointed. We couldn’t get our game going and kept allowing East to play their physical strengths,” Mirboo North Coach, Damien Turner said.
“We will be better for the hit out, post the double-bye, but have to go away and work on some things.”
There is no questioning the progress Mirboo North has made this season, but the weekend loss is a reality check as they now prepare for the backhalf of the home-and-away season.
Yinnar 18.8 (116) def Thorpdale 14.11 (95)
YINNAR anticipated a ferocious Thorpdale side to arrive at their home ground.
The Blues have always been a side that can mix it with the best, and one of the best is what they were up against at the weekend.
The Magpies did the job, but not without a scare, getting up 18.8 (116) to 14.11 (95).
Yinnar Coach, Sam McCulloch said it was a hard fought game.
“Very pleased to come away with a win. It was a game in which there were plenty of momentum shifts throughout the day,” he said.
“We were able to establish a good buffer in the second half and hang on to a good win. It was a mature performance from the group and I was proud of the way we steadied when challenged late.”
It is actually an important ingredient outside of the skills and strategies of the game, showing maturity at the right time, the right moments to make the decisions necessary in clutch moments.
Thorpdale certainly learnt that on the weekend.
“I can’t question our effort in what was a pretty good game of footy. Some undisciplined acts throughout the first half and some costly skill errors after halftime and we found ourselves six goals down midway through the third, we showed a bit of ticker to get the game back to single digits before Yinnar kicked a few late,” Blues coach Daniel Taylor said.
“Disappointed to lose but I’m really proud of our effort right across the board. Saturday’s game should give the boys confidence that if we can bring that effort every week and we can get somewhere near full strength we’ll be right in the mix.”
The Blue boys go from last year’s runner-up to this week meeting two time reigning premier Fish Creek, yet another massive challenge.
Fish Creek 13.16 (94) def Newborough 6.6 (42)
WITH two premierships in the past two seasons, top of the table Fish Creek remain well placed for a threepeat.
Hosting Newborough at the weekend was never going to be a walk in the park, with the Bulldogs desperate to continue their assault on a top six position.
The Kangaroos however flexed their muscle, victors in a 13.16 (94) to 6.6 (42) score line.
It wasn’t all the Kangaroos’ way however, with the Bulldogs jumping out of the blocks early to lead by four points at the first break.
Although Fish Creek assumed control in the second half, the reigning premier found it tough to shake the Bulldogs, who despite continuing to fight an injury curse, fought well through the third term before stopping to a walk as Fish Creek took over.
“A hard fought loss against a class opponent in Fish Creek,” Newborough Coach, Pat Frendo said.
“We managed to stay within three goals for the first three quarters before ultimately running out of legs in the last.
“Extremely proud of how the boys went about it and for the most part stayed neck-and-neck with the benchmark of the competition. More injuries to our list saw another two senior debutantes on the weekend, taking the season total to 11 first time senior players which is just awesome for the club’s development.
” After a couple of tough losses we look ahead to a month of winnable football with a refreshed attitude.”
It will take a special month for the Bulldogs to get themselves back in the heat of the finals race, but no one yet doubts they are capable.
What most are questioning is who will be the team to take it up to Fish Creek?
Tarwin 19.13 (127) def Hill End 7.10 (52)
TARWIN took on the valiant but to date unsuccessful Hill End.
The Sharks could ill afford to cough up this game given the tightness of the competition, but welcomed the Hillmen knowing full well that it would be far from a formal victory.
The Rovers did what they do, fighting hard, but they just cannot find the finish line at present.
Final scores were Tarwin 19.13 (127) to Hill End 7.10 (52).
The Sharks won the match as they were expected to, but what they also did was kill the Hillmen’s hopes early, with a four goal lead at quarter time quickly turning into eight goals at the main break.
Hill End Coach, Adrian Burns said it was another case of infrequent quality passages of play that hurt his side’s chances of making further inroads.
“We showed patches in the first quarter and even outscored them in the last quarter, but the damage was done,” he said.
“We had a handful of players out, so we are getting a look at some new faces. We all just need to remain patient.”
Tarwin now march forward with finals hopes very much alive, while the Rovers hang tough hoping that the improvements start to be rewarded with victory, their first for the year.
Foster 22.16 (148) def Toora 8.6 (54)
A ONE point loss prior to the midseason bye had Foster hungry and ready to bounce back immediately, albeit somewhat apprehensive as they prepared to take on a Toora side, who had themselves provided the shock of the season by upsetting MDU in Round 8.
The question was could the Magpies do it against an even better credentialled side in the Tigers?
The answer was also a statement in the form of a big win by the Tigers, who showed little mercy at home, winning 22.16 (148) to 8.6 (54).
Jake Best had a day out, kicking 13 goals.
His coach, Sam Davies said it was a near complete performance.
“We were back to our best on the weekend for a large amount of the game,” he said.
“A really strong four quarter effort against a Toora team that definitely fought really hard. We had a lot of winners all over the ground and capitalised on front half turnover.”
The Tigers did what good sides do, bounce back from a disappointing loss with a resounding win.
MDU 17.15 (117) def Stony Creek 10.2 (62)
MDU had come crashing back to Earth in the fortnight prior to this clash. Losses to Fish Creek followed by a shock defeat at the hands of Toora had the Demons on the ropes and needing to respond desperately.
Respond they did, taking the game by the throat at home and securing victory very early against Stony Creek, 17.15 (117) to 10.2 (62).
Demons coach Rhett Kelly was roundly satisfied.
“It was great to see the team respond so strongly after a couple of tough losses,” he said.
“The energy and effort were there right from the start on what turned out to be a beautiful winter day for football.
“Stony Creek really challenged us at a few stages of the game and looked like they might gain the upper hand, but to our boys’ credit, they worked hard to win back the momentum each time.”
The win gives MDU a much needed boost of confidence after a tough fortnight that threatened to take their season off the rails, but it’s amazing how a week can change the fortunes of a club and the mindset of its players and supporters.
Stony Creek Coach, Troy Sheperdson paid credit to the opposition.
“We played a very well drilled Meenyian who showed why they are near the top of the ladder,” he said.
The Lions continue to bubble away, and it seems as though they will at some time boil, but at this stage it hasn’t really happened, and as each week passes, time will soon also become an opponent.
BOOLARRA had the bye.
