FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
By LIAM DURKIN
ALL Latrobe Valley teams won their respective Round 17 games at the weekend.
Traralgon and Moe took a step closer to a qualifying final rematch, while Morwell’s huge win was timely given the logjam of teams from spots four to six on the ladder.
Leongatha has the minor premiership in the bag (unless it loses to Maffra and Moe wins by 200 points this weekend), in what will see the same top three as last season.
Morwell 22.12 (144) def Sale 6.7 (43)
MORWELL blasted Sale off the park.
The Tigers were ruthless in their execution, winning 22.12 (144) to 6.7 (43).
Such a scoreline would have been pleasing for Morwell on a couple of fronts – not least the percentage booster that could secure them a finals berth.
Having gained a perhaps unwarranted reputation for being a dour defensive side, to kick 22 goals only a fortnight out from finals showed Morwell can go big.
To have what could be termed a ‘statement win’ by more than 100 points on the eve of finals will also surely give the Tigers confidence.
Morwell was rarely challenged at home, and put up six goals in each of the first two quarters.
The Tigers arguably finished even better, keeping the Magpies to just one major after the main break, and kicking seven goals alone in the final term.
Morwell’s main goal-scorer came from a somewhat unlikely source in bullocking midfielder, Anthony Rosato.
He kicked five, while playing-coach Boyd Bailey added to his season tally with four, and Josh Galea and cult hero Dan Musil added three each.
Rosato was best, along with Burkeley Macfarlane (who recovered after hobbling off late in the game against Moe the previous round), Brandon Mcaulliffe, Aidan Quigley, Stephen Milles and Tom Caile.
Jack McLaren, Derek Eggmolesse-Smith, Jarrod Freeman, Tom Campbell (three goals), Jack Leslie and Thomas Glenn battled hard for Sale.
It is hard to recall a Gippsland League season where a team has crashed so far below expectation as the Magpies have this year.
The top-end quality of Sale’s players adds some confusion to how they have fared, in what could simply be a case of ‘everything that could go wrong, has gone wrong’.
Traralgon 10.14 (74) def Bairnsdale 4.10 (34)
TRARALGON won a fairly uninspiring game at Terry Hunter Oval.
The Maroons got up 10.14 (74) to 4.10 (34) over Bairnsdale in slippery conditions.
The Redlegs kicked the first goal of the match, but it ended up being just about the only highlight for the visiting side.
If ever there was a sign of where Bairnsdale is at mentally, it was perhaps summed up when big man Ethan East took nearly a week to decide where he was going to kick the ball outside defensive 50, only for Traralgon’s Jackson McMahon to almost walk up behind him and nab him holding the ball.
McMahon kicked two goals, as did debutant Riley Adams, who was rewarded after a good season in the reserves.
Brayden Kokshoorn was also called up from the lunchtime league after ruckman Tyler Anderson was rested.
The Maroons kept the Redlegs at arm’s length after quarter time, before breaking away in the third term with three goals to none.
Dylan Loprese booted four goals, and was helped further up the field by Tye Hourigan.
Tristen Waack was also busy, as was Joel Scholtes, Connor Ambler and Matt Northe.
Will Mitchell, East, Cooper Harvey, Oscar Clarke, Tyran Rees and Tom Blenheim rounded out the best players for Bairnsdale.
The Redlegs are already looking to next season, and have reappointed Kane Ashwood as senior coach.
Former Morwell junior, Jason Waddell has been appointed assistant-coach of the reserves.
The Waddell names features heavily in local footy, with Dave about to enter a finals series for TTU in North Gippsland, having last played for Woodside under his cousin and Morwell’s Michael (Chunky) Duncan in 2022.
Moe 10.6 (66) def Warragul 6.14 (50)
ANOTHER win but another set of unknowns for Moe.
The Lions responded to a firm challenge from Warragul, winning 10.6 (66) to 6.14 (50) in a grinding affair at Western Park.
Needing to win to potentially snatch the double chance, the Gulls went into halftime ahead by three points.
Moe however kicked two quick goals upon the resumption, which was enough to hold on in at times freezing conditions.
A couple of miracle goals from Warragul kept things interesting in the final term, before Moe midfielder Trent Baldi sealed the deal, finding enough space amid congestion inside 50 to celebrate a sweet goal he knew was going through as soon as it left his boot.
Baldi was among the best players, and (unusually) wore long sleeves for part of the game – one of a host of Moe players to do so.
Brock Smith, Alex Dijkstra, Nick Prowse, Harry Pepper and Scott van Dyk also contributed.
Man mountain Sam Whibley (who just seems to get bigger every time you see him), was best for Warragul.
Others to play well were Xavier Olsson, Isaac Wallace, Lucas Carter, Luke Garner and defender Sean Masterson, who was heard on multiple occasions to yell “someone get on Poholke” in reference to Lions midfielder, Myles.
Myles’ brother and Moe playing-coach, Leigh kicked an important goal late, coming back onto the ground after hobbling off just moments before.
While he got through the game, the same could not be said for three of his troops.
Gun midfielder Nathan Scagliarini suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone, defender Matt Heywood a possible broken thumb, and midfield bull Jaryn Makepeace was on crutches post-game.
This writer bumped into Makepeace at the doctors on the Wednesday during the week, and it looks as though flu is running rife through the Moe camp at the worst possible time.
Most of the Lion’s reserves team was visibly sick at the weekend, while in the seniors, small forward Jacob Balfour was reportedly barely able to function by halftime.
Compounding the possible health of the list will be the unavailability of Riley Baldi.
The reigning Gippsland League best-and-fairest winner is set for a finals series with Casey in the VFL.
Casey finished fifth after beating second-placed Box Hill in the last round of the regular season, thus missing the Wildcard Round (to be played this weekend) by half-a-game.
That means his VFL finals will coincide with the Gippsland League finals series.
Moe will however hope to have Harri Sim and Declan Keilty back in time for finals.
Keilty was back running at the weekend, while Sim took up goal umpiring in the knowledge Warragul’s usual physicality on a wet track may have left him susceptible.
The Gulls’ team will also likely change come finals.
Warragul was without starting midfielders Tom Hobbs (suspended) and VFL player Will Hayes, key forward Brayden Fowler, the Stewart boys (Jordan and Zac) and young gun Riley Senini.
Hobbs sat out after taking the early guilty plea for striking Maffra’s Elliot Stables (who is only a year out from thirds), a sentence that was met with some consternation from the local footy court of opinion.
The vision clearly shows Hobbs land a blow to the back of Stables’ head, however, Maffra players did not immediately remonstrate.
Wonthaggi 7.9 (51) def Leongatha 4.11 (35)
WONTHAGGI threw the ladder predictor into disarray after beating Leongatha.
The Power lived to fight another day, winning 7.9 (51) to 4.11 (35) at home.
Just 10 points separated combatants at the last change of ends, and that lead ended up being worth a lot more as far as Wonthaggi was concerned given the final margin.
Jai Williams, Jarvis Harvey, Ryan Sparkes, Brodie Mabilia, Isaac Chugg and Kaj Patterson were best for the winners.
Best for Leongatha was Justin Pellicano, Aaron Heppell, Kim Drew, Cade Maskell, Will Littlejohn and Ned Hanily.
Maskell returned for his first game since Round 9, while certain senior players Tom Marriott, Jackson Harry and Sean Westaway (Leongatha’s senior games record holder) came back through the reserves.
Clearly, the Parrots have managed their players to ensure the best possible 22 is available come September.
Maffra 14.9 (93) def Drouin 10.7 (67)
MAFFRA was able to celebrate a win.
The Eagles broke clear from a determined Drouin, 14.9 (93) to 10.7 (67) at Maffra Recreation Reserve.
With both teams out of finals contention, the four points were still hotly contested given the very real chance for either side to sing the song.
A high scoring first term saw nine goals kicked, before defence ruled until the final quarter.
Maffra led by 10 points at three quarter time, and finished with five goals to two in the last.
Jett Killoran, Alex Carr, Andrew McKenzie (three goals), Sam Anderson, Danny Butcher and Dylan Alexander in his 100th senior game were best for the Eagles.
Kye Quirk, Jarrod Marshall, Denver Lund, Seb Amoroso, Rylie Baker (up from the thirds) and Caleb Kleevan took the honours for Drouin.
