FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
By LIAM DURKIN
RESULTS from Round 17 of the Gippsland league officially meant all games in the last round will be dead rubbers.
Moe had the minor premiership secured heading into the weekend, and condemned Warragul to an elimination final after victory at Western Park.
Traralgon could move no higher than fifth before the ball was tossed up, while the clash between Leongatha and Wonthaggi was virtually a qualifying final preview.
Sixth-placed Maffra remained a mathematical chance of sneaking into finals, but had to win and rely on the Maroons losing to Morwell.
The Eagles completed its part, but quickly knew its season was over when the scores showed Traralgon was 33-points up at halftime.
Traralgon 15.14 (104) def Morwell 8.6 (54)
GAMES between Traralgon and Morwell are generally tight.
The one at the weekend however was not.
Context though is needed.
The local derby is usually held early in the season or at the halfway mark, by which time the two clubs are either healthy or with added incentive for what might come later in the year.
Morwell has not been healthy the last few weeks, nor did it have much incentive other than pride given finals have been out of the equation for most, if not all, of winter.
Traralgon on the other hand went into this Round 17 game knowing it was headed for an elimination final in two weeks.
The Maroons still needed to win to make it official, and did that in relatively easy fashion 15.14 (104) to 8.6 (54).
The home side led at every break, and broke the game open with a six-goal second term.
While the third quarter is viewed as the premiership quarter, the second is often the truest reflection of the two teams competing.
Once the tightness of a game dissipates after quarter time, and before the halftime break means one team either parks the bus while the other responds, the second quarter generally provides the greatest insight into a team’s actual capability.
Morwell did respond with three goals to Traralgon’s two in the third, but the game was largely a foregone conclusion by then.
The Maroons finished professionally, kicking four goals to one to see out the game.
Jackson McMahon played his best game for the season, and at the best time, kicking four goals. Tye Hourigan was swung forward and added three, while Luis D’Angelo, Connor Ambler, Joel Scholtes and Liam Willaton showed why they are among Traralgon’s leading lights.
The Maroons had virtually an entire team of local players as well, using just 25 player points.
The man who is probably too smart to be a footballer, Dan Musil, was best-on-ground for the Tigers. Ruckman Isaac Abas also put in, as did Burkeley Macfarlane, Campbell Blewett, Cody McKay (three goals) and Max Linton.
Both teams face top five opponents in the last round.
Morwell will play Traralgon’s elimination final challenger Warragul, while the Maroons will just look to get out of Wonthaggi’s sodden (and surely too dangerous) surface injury-free.
Not that it’s in Traralgon’s DNA to ever do it, but you would be tempted to just boycott the game. Speaking to a South Gippsland umpire last week, even they said the ground isn’t fit-for-play.
The Tigers meanwhile will surely partake in some serious commiserating for the season from hell as soon as the final siren sounds this Saturday.
Unfortunately for Morwell, barring the win over Leongatha, it has been one of those seasons where absolutely nothing has gone right.
A promising preseason took a dramatic turn when star recruit Will Lewis replaced James Harmes at the Western Bulldogs. In a cruel irony, Harmes then joined Moe.
Morwell’s VFL listed player, Kye Declase, only played one game for the Tigers this season, while senior coach Shaun Mooney was gone by early May.
The misfortune was not just confined to the football field. Morwell’s traditionally strong netball was struck down by injury on the eve of the season, as well as a couple of gun players needing to sit out due to pregnancy.
The Tigers will have every right to view the season as a write off, and it is likely future historians will be told to skip over pages detailing 2026.
Moe 19.10 (124) def Warragul 9.8 (62)
IT is called the premiership quarter after all.
A run of six unanswered Moe goals exploded the scoreboard after halftime at Western Park.
The Lions defeated Warragul 19.10 (124) to 9.8 (62).
Fifteen minutes of mayhem unfolded shortly after players resumed their positions.
Moe quickly turned a precariously placed 22-point lead into an unassailable position midway through the third term.
Such an outburst appeared to come from nowhere, with Warragul players looking shellshocked as the visitors not only scored freely, but incredibly accurately.
The top-of-the-table Lions kicked six goals straight, while the Gulls managed just 1.1 (7).
Their hot start was ignited after a rundown tackle from Declan Keilty on Alby Phillips, who made the mistake of playing on while the big man was still within arm’s reach.
Keilty slotted the goal at the netball court end from straight in front, which was followed by another from Harry Pepper shortly after.
Pepper had hit the post on the halftime siren at the clubhouse end, while fellow key forward Ben Crocker (as is his preference) missed after playing on from close range with a snap shot.
The misses arguably kept Warragul in the match as teams retreated to the rooms, although for the first quarter at least, there was plenty to like from the Gulls.
Midfielder Tom Hobbs was everywhere, and even as the game drifted late, the exertion on his face was obvious. You would love to have 18 Tom Hobbs in your team.
Crocker did play on and goaled at the eight minute mark of the third, but this was with a drop punt, and after his direct opponent was slow to get up from the marking contest.
With the margin at 40 points, the game threatened to blow out, and Warragul looked deflated.
A kick off one step from Zac Stewart led straight to a turnover. Frustrations showed on the bench, with a couple of audible thuds of fist slamming table.
Things only got worse for the Gulls when Moe’s Riley D’Arcy marked on the goal line for one of his five for the afternoon.
While that goal came from a mark out the back, which is generally forgivable given players are instructed to come forward to defend, the number of times Moe forwards were able to mark out in front inside 50 would have surely been concerning for Warragul coach Gary Ayres.
Too much leg rope at one end and shallow entries at the other meant the ball constantly bounced out of the Gulls’ front half.
Warragul was completely dismantled by the 15 minute mark, leaving nothing left to do but for someone to resort to an old school rallying cry.
“C’mon Gulls, fight!” screamed key forward Jed Lamb as the ball was camped up the other end.
Ayres, now carrying the aura of an ancient footballing wizard in his senior years, responded like a father does to a son he thinks is relatively clueless, after a ball was kicked from the centre circle straight to Moe ruckman Ben Morrow sitting at the top of the arc.
“Not f**king there, Jesus!”
Much as the ball was in transition, Moe’s work at ground level was also a class above.
Morrow, Ben Maslen, Jarryn Makepeace and Alex Dijkstra all got timely fists in, or went back with the flight to take strong grabs.
The difference in class wasn’t so much about Moe simply having better players, but perhaps just greater awareness.
Blake Mullane smartly rode a tackle to force an inside 50 stoppage, while on another occasion, Moe players were heard to instruct each other that “he’s a left footer” when corralling an opponent near the boundary line. Attention to detail can often be the biggest difference between the top and bottom sides. The top sides will make sure the left footer can’t get near his favoured side in the first place. The midtable teams will only do so once the ball has arrived.
Still, some players are undoubtedly a class above. James Harmes showed that, nabbing an opponent holding the ball in mid-air. Given he was on an AFL list at the start of the year, it does show exactly what is required to make it at that level.
Moe coach Leigh Poholke had little to say at three quarter time, understandable given how clinical his charges had been.
“Domination across the quarter,” he said referencing the key performance indicators.
“(You’ve) earned the right. Got there quicker than I thought (game opening up).”
Ayres remained calm at his huddle, acknowledging that the type of forward entries had been “chalk and cheese” between the two sides.
“Lot of effort to get nowhere,” he said – a familiar feeling in football when it seems as though you work twice as hard for your goals and then get scored against so easily.
With one quarter to play and a 51-point deficit, not to mention finals to come, Ayres figured there was no point reading the riot act. “One instruction: I want to see a lot of roll and go,” he said.
The last quarter played out in relatively serene circumstances. Lamb gave away a 100 metre penalty for abuse right on the siren, but up until then, both teams appeared content to get out of the game.
Harmes called it a day at the 10 minute mark, while there was good sportsmanship shown when D’Arcy helped opponent Sean Masterson up after collecting him high.
Mullane kicked a nice long range goal to highlight the term. Warragul’s Heath Jinks slotted a textbook crumbing goal at the other end.
Lamb suggested Warragul had gone for perfect kicks too often, although another worrying sign came when two Moe midfielders were left unchecked on the wing after their opponents had failed to roll up. The dump kick out of defence saw the resultant ball go straight back inside 50 into the waiting arms of Mullane.
Having captured a lot of people’s imagination this season (defeated Traralgon and drew with Leongatha), the Gulls are now in danger of bombing out of finals in the first week for the second year in a row.
Making matters worse, Isaac Wallace did his hamstring in the last quarter. Football can certainly be a rollercoaster – he didn’t miss a single game last year.
Moe favourite Liam Masters slugged a goal from stoppage during red time to make for a scoreboard showing the Lions doubled Warragul’s score.
Whether or not Moe is twice as good as Warragul is up for debate, but as Bradman’s average proved, statistics are hard to ignore.
Bradman averaged near-on 100, and the next best is around 50 to 60. On the Gippsland League ladder at least, the Gulls are among a handful of teams that could be compared to a Dravid, Williamson or Hussey – good, but still some way off the very top.
Liam Serong was named best for the home side. Hobbs ran a one-man show at times, while Patrick Mulqueen, Stern, Sam Whibley, whose follow-up work was exceptional, and Xavier ‘Silk’ Olsson stood out.
D’Arcy (five goals), Crocker (four) and Pepper (three) all contributed for Moe, as did best-on-ground Nathan Scagliarini and Myles Poholke.
Moe veteran Tom Long was also prominent on a day for old-timers. His fellow 200-game teammate Ben Morrow was recalled to the senior side to jump against Whibley, while at one stage, 40-year-old Warragul key position Matt Gray was playing on well-travelled Moe defender Aaron Paxton.
Somewhat ironically, Morrow wore the number 19, the same number worn by former teammate Ryan Stirling, who shares a district likeness in body size to Whibley.
Bairnsdale 19.17 (131) def Sale 9.9 (63)
SALE had its best fighting chance of breaking its duck when it hosted Bairnsdale.
The Magpies however lost by 68 points, 19.17 (131) to 9.9 (63) at Sale Oval.
The home side was in the game at halftime, down by just 12 points, but ran out of experience the longer the game went on.
Jack McLaren booted four goals in a losing cause, and was helped by Kaden McCulloch, Darcy Van der Voort, Cooper Whitehill, Mitch Thacker and Dean Feltis.
Jordan Dessent kicked two goals in his 200th game.
Best for Bairnsdale was Randall Stewart, Rex Hargreaves, Oscar Morrison, Tyran Rees, Cooper Vickery and Sam Townsend. Goal sneak Brayden McCarrey kicked four majors in his long sleeves.
Sale has drawn the short straw to end the season, as it will be top versus bottom in the last round.
Moe already has a week off for finishing on top, and is unlikely to rest players for an entire fortnight. With this in mind, the league could well be in store for the greatest mismatch in history.
Sale looks all but certain to claim not only the wooden spoon (its first in the Gippsland League), but the ‘golden basement’, a term reserved for any side that loses every game of the season.
The Magpies have already turned attention to 2027.
In a pleasing sign, the Magpies have announced Clayton Kelly as its under 18s coach.
A respected club figure, Kelly is a former Sale player, and had stints with Wonthaggi Blues (now Power, following the merger between Blues and Rovers) when they made the Gippsland League grand final in 2001. He also played football in Queensland’s state league and was a senior assistant coach at Sale under current assistant Shane Fyfe.
The task ahead is looking challenging however, given Sale did not field an under 18s team this year. The club’s fourths though are quite strong, and a number of players will be graduating out of this age group. Sale also has an under 15s team that is top-three in the local junior competition.
Just how long it takes Sale to get back to being competitive in senior football is anyone’s guess, although don’t be surprised if it takes up to six years.
For comparison, Moe did not have under 18s in 2011. It was 2017 before the Lions’ next senior finals appearance.
The Magpies might yet prop up its senior squad however. Talk of Western Bulldogs star Adam Treloar joining the club next season has done the rounds. The signing would make sense given Treloar is best mates with former Sale player Josh Dunkley.
Sale has also been advertising players on sports recruiting platform Trainstop.
On the website, Sale says it is “seeking (a) strong bodied experienced midfielder” and an “experienced ruckman”. Both positions are offering salaries of $1000 a game.
While it is sad country footy has reached a stage where positions on the field are pretty much being used as employment opportunities, it is the modern reality facing clubs.
In one respect, publishing how much players are being offered per game is actually a good thing. At least there’s no secrecy. Players are probably getting $1500 a game under the table anyway.
IN other games, Leongatha won the South Gippsland Showdown, defeating Wonthaggi 11.8 (74) to 4.13 (37).
Dyson Heppell was best-on for the Parrots, and needs to play this weekend to qualify for finals.
Maffra was too strong for Drouin, winning 16.12 (108) to 11.6 (72).
