FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
By LIAM DURKIN
HEADING into the weekend, there appeared little to get excited about in the Gippsland League.
Games looked to be so predictive, it was barely worth venturing out of the house to watch them.
While those living in Moe or Sale wouldn’t have missed much by staying in bed, those residing in Bairnsdale, Leongatha or Maffra who stepped outside were surely glad they did so.
Round 14 was another timely reminder of just how unforgiving the major league can be.
Miss one result, and it could be curtains one way or another.
Maffra is facing an uphill battle to play finals, while an unthinkable double-chance miss by Leongatha looms large with four rounds to go.
Morwell 6.7 (43) def Leongatha 5.8 (58)
AND on the eighth day, God created Harmit Singh.
The man with the Midas touch delivered for a second consecutive week at the weekend.
This one however was one of his finest.
What’s more, it wasn’t just the coach that made the difference.
After all, Singh can’t get out there himself.
As Morwell’s song goes: “if we’re behind, then never mind, we’ll fight and fight and win”.
The Tigers of Morwell were behind all game against Leongatha, but hit the front right at the death to win a famous July game 6.7 (43) to 5.8 (58) during Round 14 of the Gippsland League.
Some wins carry more meaning than others.
Some are remembered for a long time.
Morwell’s performance at the weekend belonged in both.
If reactions on the final siren were any indication, Morwell players would have felt like they owned the world at that very moment.
They’d beaten the reigning premier on its home ground, in an absolute grind that saw players battle wind, chill and rain on a sodden surface.
Before last Saturday, young Morwell players such as Jack Mooney had never beaten Leongatha at any level of football.
As players, most of them drenched head to toe in mud, reacted on the siren, the baggage from a season from hell was lifted instantly.
Skipper Aidan Quigley jumped onto the back of teammate Burkely Macfarlane, Zac Cheffers threw both arms aloft and looked to the heavens as if to accept a prayer of thanksgiving, while Tyler Hillier flexed not once, but twice.
The Morwell supporters, delirious with delight, were so loud, those watching the livestream didn’t hear the siren.
Even assistant coach Tim Darby, ordinarily so composed, brought out what could only be described as a reverse Brett Lee chainsaw celebration after Cohen Campbell kicked the winning goal at the 30 minute mark.
Campbell himself seemed unsure exactly how to celebrate, simply waving both hands aloft manically.
It was a perhaps an appropriate response given how Morwell managed to snatch victory.
For virtually the entirely of the game, a typical wet weather slog looked destined to be decided by whichever team manufactured the most scores agriculturally.
Morwell’s last two goals defied conditions however.
Trafalgar recruit Isaac Caroleo flushed a set shot from right on 50, running around on his right to sink a ridiculous kick with a heavy ball.
With time ticking toward 30 minutes, Macfarlane then won a clearance at halfback, and launched the ball forward.
The pack at centre wing saw ruckman Maclan McInnes get a toenail to the ball, allowing Hugh Dunbar to gather and kick inside 50.
When Leongatha reviews this game, coach Trent McMicking might only have one thing written on the whiteboard: Don’t let your opponent get goal side.
The kick from Dunbar got out the back to Campbell, who had enough time to pick up, gather, and run into goal from 15 metres out.
On a day when literally every point counted, Morwell kept Leongatha to just two behinds in the final term.
The Parrots had chances, not least a fresh airy in the second quarter when the ball bobbled toward goal.
Rain came down heavily during the second term, and Morwell was forced to withhold after not getting the ball inside 50 for the first 20 minutes.
Conditions arguably suited Leongatha’s bigger bodies, and taking out the dramatic end, the game was largely unwatchable, as there was virtually a stoppage every minute.
Not that Morwell will care in the slightest. You don’t get bonus points for winning pretty after all.
That said, in today’s world of AI generated stats, even the computer would have found it difficult to decipher what constituted what on the muddy Leongatha oval.
This writer, using traditional pen and paper technology, counted 136 stoppages across the four quarters – 41 in the last term alone.
At one stage in the first term (admittedly during red time), there was 17 players in the computer screen.
Leongatha looked comfortable while the game was a dog fight, but very second rate once Morwell was able to chip and draw.
Key moments lifted those in the yellow and black as well.
A desperate tackle inside defensive 50 by Blake Couling stopped a certain shot on goal, while at the other end, a clinical snap out of congestion by Quigley set the tone for what was a big day for his team.
The skipper led from the front, exemplified by an outrageous hat-trick in the last quarter when he spun around one opponent, fended off another, and then drilled a pass to a teammate all in one passage of play.
Max Linton was credited as best-on-ground for the winners. The big man took some very strong contested grabs at crucial stages.
Dunbar was also lively, as was Campbell Blewett, Cheffers and Campbell with three goals. Along with the winner, he dobbed a very neat set shot in the first quarter from hard up against the boundary on the far side of the ground kicking toward the scoreboard end.
The result stunned the league, and questions quickly permeated.
Are Leongatha finally (finally) done as a league powerhouse?
The Parrots are two games outside the top three with four rounds to go.
Leongatha has not missed the double chance since 2014, and history suggests you need it to win the premiership.
Kim Drew appeared to have a good tangle with Morwell’s Lachlan Ainsworth at times, but worked past that to put in a solid display. Tom Marriott thrived in the conditions, while Jack Sheridan got his hands on plenty of hit outs.
Will Littlejohn, Ty Hall and Patrick Ireland also attracted plaudits.
Morwell has now played the villain two weeks in a row, after previously putting a huge dent in Maffra’s finals aspirations.
The Tigers will be full of confidence taking on ladder leaders Moe this Saturday, in what is looming as a game that will carry plenty of feeling.
Morwell has salvaged a great deal from a season that threatened to just peter out, and although finals might be off the cards this year, they can get a head start on 2027 with a strong finish to the home-and-away campaign.
After winning just two games in the first half of the year, and coach Shaun Mooney stepping down after just five rounds, it is hard not to address the elephant in the room though.
Was the message from Mooney just not getting through?
Moe 27.15 (177) def Drouin 11.6 (72)
THE scoreboard can often create an illusion.
Drouin more than likely felt they played well against Moe.
The Hawks kicked 11.6 (72) at Ted Summerton Reserve.
The issue however was they let through 27.15 (177) at the other end.
For all of the good passages of the play the young Hawks strung together (particularly early from centre clearance), they still lost by 105 points.
On a gloomy day played in front of two men and a dog, the Lions went on another scoring spree.
A 66-point three quarter time margin was arguably a fairer reflection of the teams if they were to be judged pro-rata.
Experience however meant Moe slammed on eight goals to two in the final term.
Taking an educated guess, Drouin more than likely just wanted to play the last quarter out, subconscious in the knowledge three quarters of effort and a scoreboard with some respectability was enough.
Moe coach Leigh Poholke was attuned to this, and referenced the naturally low motivation his players had playing a largely bruise-free game in front of hardly any atmosphere.
The Lions made the most of a deflated opposition as the fourth quarter unfolded, as 11 players ended up on the scoresheet.
Riley D’Arcy led all comers with seven, including a few classy snaps. He denied himself eight after playing on seconds before the three quarter time siren.
Harry Pepper added half-a-dozen and Myles Poholke two.
The trio are on track to become just the third lot of players to kick 50 goals for one team in a Gippsland League season.
Those currently on the list are Morwell’s Peter Henderson, John Featherston and Alan Lowe (1982) and Sale’s Chris Aurisch, Nick Fowler and Jacob Shuback (2006).
A freakish sportsman, ‘Didge’ Aurisch compiled one of the greatest innings in local cricket history, when he made 158 in a losing Sale-Maffra grand final for Stratford in 2012/13.
Other knocks to rival the feat are Gamini Kumara’s 187 not out for Yarragon in a losing semi-final that same season, and John Keighran’s epic 105 in a total of 137 to get Churchill into the 2020/21 grand final.
D’Arcy graciously gave up his number eight jumper for Elias Romano on senior debut. Young Eli had his own cheersquad upstairs, and showed good adaptability playing a variety of positions.
Nathan Scagliarini got the nod as best player, followed by Blake Mullane and Alex Dijkstra, who took one of the most courageous marks you will ever see putting himself in immediate danger.
Luke Cheffers also slotted three goals in the rout, which was further highlighted by Moe’s Auskickers running out with their senior heroes.
Drouin’s best player was Denver Lund, who if he was ever called by Rex Hunt, would surely be referred to as Elmer Fudd.
Seb Amoroso was also busy with three goals, as was Lane Ward, Jack Walsh, Ewan Croucher and Campbell Bedford.
Traralgon 27.22 (184) def Sale 6.5 (41)
WHAT a difference four years makes.
Saturday was near-on exactly four years since Moe lost to Sale by 142 points.
The Lions are now on top of the ladder, and the Magpies anchored to the bottom.
Traralgon was the latest team to hand Sale its routine flogging, winning 27.22 (184) to 6.5 (41).
The Maroons, surely conscious of the need to boost its percentage, gave it a nudge after a 143-point win at home.
Tom Hamilton continued what is surely a best-and-fairest worthy season, slotting five goals.
Playing-coach Dylan Loprese kicked the same amount, and found good support from Connor Ambler, Matt Northe (four goals), Kade Thorley, Cooper Brown (three goals) and Sam Walker (three goals).
Kai McDonald provided some positives for Sale, kicking three goals.
Others who battled manfully were Dean Feltis, Tom Wrigglesworth, Ashton Wright, Ben Hall and Thomas Glenn.
The Maroons broke right away in the second quarter, kicking seven goals to one.
By three quarter time the margin was 127 points, and only extended from there.
The game offered the perfect time to bring Jordan Cunico back for his first game of the season. Rebounding defender Joel Scholtes is expected to be available for this weekend’s crunch game against Warragul, on return from a broken collarbone, ironically sustained while attempting mark of the year against the same opponent the first time around this season.
You have to feel sorry for the cameraman that gets the Sale game each week.
Much like yours truly when he was a first year cadet journalist who had to start with East Gippy before working his way up to the major league, the task likely falls to the apprentice.
Wonthaggi 15.13 (103) def Bairnsdale 15.9 (99)
WONTHAGGI survived a huge scare against Bairnsdale.
The Power breathed a big sigh of relief on the trip home after winning 15.13 (103) to 15.9 (99).
A late shot from Bairnsdale’s Oscar Morrison registered a behind, meaning Wonthaggi maintained its handy two-game lead inside the top three.
The visitors seemed to have the game under control at halftime, leading by 33 points.
Bairnsdale however came out and kicked six goals to two in the third quarter to set up a grandstand finish.
The second half could be reflective of a few challenging weeks for the Power.
Wonthaggi has been unable to train on its home ground due to drainage issues, while the mental effects of the car crash that seriously injured players Harry Dawson and Daniel Bourke are probably still raw.
Bourke has set up a public page on social media documenting his recvoery.
Warragul 10.15 (75) def Maffra 7.11 (53)
GAME of the round saw Warragul beat Maffra in a potential top-five clash.
The Gulls secured a second consecutive finals berth after winning 10.15 (75) to 7.11 (53).
The visitors kicked five goals to one in the second term, to trade a 10-point deficit for a 16-point lead at halftime.
Warragul is now two games clear in second, while the Eagles are two games outside the top five.
The win against Moe might have taken it out on Maffra, as they have lost their last three games since.
Best players for Maffra at the weekend were Max Stobie, Will Burgiel, Macauley Pendergast, Jack Armstrong, Alex Carr and Seth Smith. Warragul was again well-served by Tom Hobbs, Sean Masterson and Tom Stern, along with Kai MacLean, Keenan Boi and Sam Whibley.
