LEONGATHA was tested for the first time in 2016 while Wonthaggi snuck home at the death against Morwell in a tense conclusion to the Gippsland League’s split 10th round.
The second grand final replay of the season between the Parrots and reigning premier Traralgon was a low-scoring scrap but ladder-leader Leongatha clung on to a three-point win on home soil.
The host showed determination and grit to find three majors in the final quarter, matching its tally from the three preceding terms, to overturn an eight-point deficit at the final change and win 6.5 (41) to 5.8 (38).
Scores were tight all day, locked 2.4 (16) apiece at half-time, but Leongatha’s 11 scoring shots to Traralgon’s 13 were more accurate in the wash-up.
With no Chris Dunne, the league’s leading goal scorer, on deck it was left to Zak Vernon and Brok Davidson to lead the goal kicking with two apiece.
Dylan Loprese and Lee Stockdale mustered a pair each at the other end but the Maroons could not find a winner in the last.
The result was the only single digit margin Leongatha has had to negotiate this season.
WONTHAGGI was forced out of its comfort zone and into a final term shootout at Morwell Recreation Reserve yesterday.
The goals were flying at both ends in a frenetic fourth quarter as the Power abandoned its boa-constrictor approach to score a dramatic 14.11 (90) to 12.11 (83) victory away from home.
Power coach Stuart Gilmour said while it was not the Wonthaggi way, he was pleased to see his troops adapt on the fly to notch an important victory in the context of the club’s season.
“We’re not fussed on shootouts, it’s not our cup of tea, but we felt we had the confidence and the fitness to be able to run that out,” Gilmour said.
“We’ve got a bit of belief in how we go about it so even when we’re down by 10 points we still feel if we just keep doing the things we know we’re doing well we’ll get there.
“We just had to knuckle down in the middle; our mids were getting towelled up there. They were killing us, so we had to knuckle down and square up and it allowed us to get the footy into our forward half and score.”
Morwell was on the back foot early as the Power kicked half a dozen in the first to lead 6.1 (37) to 1.2 (8) at the first break.
The Tigers regrouped in the second and third to draw within three points at the final change to set up a thrilling finale.
When Morwell kicked its 10th goal 12 minutes into the fourth quarter the Tigers were up by three points in a see-sawing battle.
Wonthaggi was unperturbed by the host’s drive and replied with two goals and a behind in quick succession to wrest back the advantage 12.6 (78) to 10.8 (68).
Dan Musil hit back for Morwell when he was awarded a free kick 25 metres out on a slight angle and he thumped it through to get his side back within four points with less than 15 minutes to play.
At the other end Troy Harley mustered something special from the pocket when he snapped through a banana kick from the mark, deep in the right pocket, for his fifth major of the afternoon.
Harley had a chance to push the margin out further minutes later from the same spot but put down a chest mark, which allowed Morwell to spread and rebound.
Some panicked delivery to the forward line cost the Tigers field position, but they worked it back into the forward 50 arc where Daniel Hutchinson missed a golden opportunity.
Hutchinson played on from his mark 20 metres out only to spray his shot in the face of an open goal, which pulled the deficit back to nine points.
When the Tigers hit the upright with their next attempt at goal it seemed the footy gods were not on their side, but Hutchinson soon made amends for his previous miss and kicked truly from the goal square to get his side within two points.
With five minutes left to play Morwell was desperate but the charge took a huge hit when Aloysio Ferreira, who had been among the best on all day, took a one handed grab and snapped a long range goal for Wonthaggi.
Tim Ryan made something out of nothing with a courageous spoil to set up a late attack for Morwell, but when his shot was touched over the goal-line it was curtains.
The final score of 14.6 (90) to 12.11 (83) spoke volumes for the Power’s accuracy, which Gilmour said had improved in 2016.
“The efficiency was good. In the first quarter I think we had eight entries and six goals which was really positive; the efficiency has been a lot better this year and it’s allowed blokes to play the way they want to play and not suppress what they (naturally) do,” he said.
“It was good for our guys to come away and play our brand away, we did against Bairnsdale which we struggled (to do) at home a bit, so looking forward to the challenge next week against Leongatha.”
The Power coach was full of praise for his opposite number at the end of the hard slog.
“We knew Morwell were just on the run. I really respect Morwell; Joel (Soutar) is a ripping fella and a really good coach and he’s got a young group and that concerns me,” he said.
Wonthaggi will now face ladder leader Leongatha while Morwell next plays Sale away from home.
