FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
THEY are pretty, pretty good those Gatha boys.
In their most convincing grand final performance yet, Leongatha blew past reigning premier Traralgon by 95 points, returning to the podium for the fifth time in their last seven tries.
Even the most critical viewers of the Gippsland League couldn’t have predicted quite the thumping of this magnitude.
Just two weeks prior, the last two premiers met in the second semi final at the same ground the grand final would be played at, Morwell Recreation Reserve, and the Parrots had to buckle down intensely in the second half to qualify for their ninth consecutive decider.
Even if the margin wasn’t anything as close to what was seen at the weekend, by the time the fourth quarter arrived in that game, Leongatha perhaps had realised what was required to see them secure their redemptive flag.
Upset by a young, fast-paced Maroons side 12 months ago, the Parrots would have accepted either of Traralgon or Moe as opponents via the preliminary final, but buried underneath, they surely were hopeful of a chance to enact revenge on the side who denied them the chance of a third consecutive premiership – something that hadn’t been done in two decades in the Gippsland League.
Entering the big day, it would be hard-pressed to pick a definitive winner, given that each side had split their previous four matchups going back to the 2024 Grand Final.
To add to last year’s decider, the two clubs also did battle a decade earlier in the 2015 Grand Final, which although began Leongatha’s streak, saw Traralgon come out on top by five goals.
Everything would be determined by the start that either great outfits got out to.
Arriving for the first bounce, the surprise had now been stripped of Leongatha in regards to who they featured in the midfield.
Captain Tom Marriott entered the grand final having played just one senior game in the past three months (the Parrots’ previous finals win over Traralgon) after undertaking suspected season-ending ankle surgery.
Leongatha coach Trent McMicking and the rest of the Parrots powerbrokers understood a clear timeline for his return, playing five games in the reserves before being selected for the seniors in the semi final.
The other Parrots midfielder on notice for the Maroons was former Essendon captain Dyson Heppell.
Heppell was in the spotlight most of the season as a potential feature player for Leongatha, having only retired from the AFL last year and was now undertaking a playing coach role at VFL club Port Melbourne.
After lengthy deliberation between relevant clubs, the Gippsland League and AFL Victoria, Heppell eventually qualified for finals with his home club after four home-and-away matches played.
Once the ball was slammed down to begin the day’s proceedings, the Parrots quickly locked the ball inside their forward 50.
After a nice entry from Sam Forrester, Aaron Heppell (brother of Dyson) flew for a sweet mark over Traralgon’s Jackson McMahon.
Quickly going back and booting his and the side’s first of the game, Leongatha had six points on the board just two minutes in.
It could already be sensed how the Parrots wanted to see out a win and negate Traralgon’s proficiency, much to what they did in the second half of their last matchup, by limiting their ability to move the football by pressuring in tight and getting great numbers to the contest throughout.
After Traralgon defender Joel Scholtes gained the ball from a kick out on the full, he looked to give the Maroons their first chance of an attack, switching through the defensive 50 to captain Tye Hourigan.
In an uncharacteristic turn, Hourigan misjudged the wind when looking to connect across goal with Mitch Membrey, as the ball continued to carry centre of the ground and was almost intercepted by Leongatha full forward Patrick Ireland.
Then rushing over to help recover his misplay, Hourigan collected the ball again in the opposite pocket, but was tackled mid-exiting kick and sent the ball out on the full.
While a goal wasn’t conceded directly after, what was seen by Traralgon’s captain and arguably the league’s best player was an early sign that perhaps it wasn’t to be for the Maroons.
Even as the Traralgon backline stood up against a heavy push by Leongatha, every time they came out, the ball was routinely sent straight back in due to the set up behind play by the Parrots.
Jenson Garnham then took Leongatha’s second contested mark inside forward 50, stuck in between two opponents, going back and sending through the second major.
The next centre bounce led to Traralgon’s first inside 50 entry of the day, 10 minutes in, which was instantly worked out by the Parrots defenders and saw the ball quickly back in their attacking end.
Forrester sent another ball inside Leongatha’s forward line, with Ireland going back with the flight to be rewarded with the mark.
Edging on the boundary, close to 40 metres out, Ireland timed his boot perfectly through the wind for the Parrots’ third.
While Hourigan’s earlier blip displayed Traralgon’s misgivings for the game thus far, Ireland’s close to impossible goal showcased all that was going right for Leongatha.
The Maroons gained a centre clearance through Liam Willaton, which eventually saw Harvey Neocleous taking Traralgon’s first shot on goal from the 50-metre arch, swinging far left and kept in play.
They eventually got a set shot through a free kick to Mitch Mustoe, which also went awry but gave the Maroons their first minor score.
Despite finally finding some opportunity, Leongatha continued to pound the ball through their attacking end, and found Garnham’s second and the Parrots fourth straight.
Pressure mounted further for Traralgon, as Nick Argento and Kim Drew slotted each as well to give Leongatha a six goals to nothing lead in time for the first break.
With their backs against the wall, Maroons coach Troy Hamilton told his group to remain disciplined, as a few free kicks were conceded late in the opening term and some player being caught out of position.
Traralgon defenders were stuck in one thought, that being to get the ball out of danger, routinely kicking down the line, and Hamilton implored them to “move laterally” to find options of attack.
Willaton sent the ball into Traralgon’s forward 50 to begin the second quarter, but due to the high numbers pressing up, no players were closer home as the ball dribbled through for their second point.
Dyson Heppell gained the ball out of a boundary throw in on the far wing, connecting with brother Aaron who marked the ball on his second try over Scholtes.
Soon after, Garnham out-bodied Membrey easily and added his third goal in the early stages of the second quarter.
Hourigan, who had now been inserted into the midfield by Hamilton to begin the second term, found the ball out wide on Traralgon’s 50-metre arch, but as he made his step towards goal, had his jumper grabbed by Tom Sauvarin and span Hourigan around until he was pinned holding the ball.
By the time Jack Hume added his first with a snap in the goal square, the score line read 52 to 2, and with the dominance of the Parrots shooting the excitement out of the crowd as the margin already appeared too far to make up for, the Maroons also looked shot for energy.
Dylan Loprese took a mark from 15 metres out and sent through Traralgon’s first at the 14-minute mark of the second quarter, as they reset to slowly chip into their deficit.
The Maroons almost made it two in a row as Sam Hallyburton kept the play alive in the goal square and followed up just before the ball dribbled through for a point, rising to hit the ball off the bounce for a miraculous highlight that could have sparked Traralgon. It however, hit the post.
Garnham slotted another easy goal after a downfield free kick and Aaron Heppell snapped one through the middle of a contest just before halftime to see the margin at 57 points.
As the cool wind preserved, and especially given the blowout result almost sewing up the premiership with a half to go, it could be sensed the packed-out crowd had soon simmered bar the Leongatha faithful.
Due to what was on display with an enticing contest over at the A Grade netball, spectators were much more transfixed by what was going on there rather than what was on the football field.
Eight minutes past without anything of note before Traralgon youngster Blair Roscoe had the chance to boot the first goal of the second half however, missed.
As the ball exited from the kick out and as Leongatha made their way up the bench wing, Dyson Heppell rose for one of the most gracious hangers you’ll ever see from a 33-year-old, over the top of teammate Ireland.
Soon after, as the ball was locked in the Parrots forward 50 and that same Heppell read the ball beautifully out of the throw in, tapping the ball onwards and dribbling through his sole goal for the day.
Teammates mauled him, and boxes were continuing to be ticked for a perfect day for Leongatha supporters.
The younger Heppell then bashed through two Traralgon defenders, dropping them both in his path on the Parrots’ next attempt, chipping the ball in front to give Xavier Lamers the easiest of goals.
As if it wasn’t already without a doubt, close to stoppage time in the third quarter, a 71-point difference meant it was nothing but party time the rest of the way for Leongatha.
Hourigan took a nice pack mark virtually on the goal line to give Traralgon their second major of the day at the 21-minute mark, and Loprese added his second just before the three quarter time siren to subdue what Leongatha inflicted earlier on in the term.
Despite this, the Parrots finished the match in strong form with seven goals to one, affirming an almighty victory to cap off grand final day.
As the siren sounded, the Heppell’s could be seen in a fit of jubilation, as Aaron jumped into Dyson’s arms, lifting his little brother above.
An emotional coach McMicking acknowledged in an immediate post-game radio interview with TRFM that last year’s grand final loss really burnt him and the group, and that the performance put forth was “as powerful a footy as I’ve seen in the Gippsland League in my four years.”
McMicking adds a third premiership to his cap in those four seasons as coach.
In his first season returning to his home club, Dyson Heppell cleaned house by being awarded both the Stan Aitken Medal and AFL best-on-ground medal, stamping his phenomenal impact.
A player hadn’t won the duel grand final best-on-ground medals since Ash Close did so for Morwell back in 2014.
Heppell expressed post-game his delight in capturing glory and playing alongside his brother for the first time ever.
“I had an absolute ball today, I’ve had a lot of fun coming back and playing with the boys,” he told TRFM radio.
“I’ve got a lot of love for this club, grew up playing all my junior footy and to roll out there with some of the boys that I played in under-12, under-13 flags with, especially my little brother Azza (Aaron), I’ve never played with him before, so I just had an absolute ball.”
Marriott and McMicking then arrived to the dais to be presented the premiership cup, and from there on out, it would have been indescribable joy for the green and gold army the rest of the weekend.
In a true whole club celebration, Leongatha claimed trophies in seniors, reserves, B Grade and 13 and Under netball during the course of the day.
Garnham made it a seven-goal haul in his second premiership with the Parrots, while star recruit Ireland added four to finish with 61 goals in his first year in the major league after arriving from Buln Buln.
Jack Hume, Aaron Heppell (three goals), and Sauvarin were others of key note for Leongatha.
Willaton, Roscoe, Hourigan, Luis D’Angelo, Conor Little, and Connor Ambler were the best for Traralgon.
While the Maroons are still well in the premiership window for years to come, still gifted with a plethora of young talent, they will be seeking someone new to guide the aspiring group with Hamilton exiting after two seasons and a premiership to his name.
