LIAM DURKIN
FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
By LIAM DURKIN and LIAM SMITH
“HE need not even kick, the drought is over.”
Those are the words of Sandy Roberts moments after Collingwood had won the 1990 AFL Grand Final, ending a 32-year premiership drought.
Similar sentiments were felt by Moe supporters at Sale Oval on Saturday, as the Lions finally won at a venue that had eluded them for 21 years.
The number 21 was circled on the whiteboard before the team ran out, as was the number 142.
While the number 21 was self explanatory, 142 represented the margin the Lions had been defeated by the last time they played in Sale.
As they walked into the visitor’s rooms, victorious after a grinding 6.8 (44) to 5.6 (36) win, they had successfully lifted weights off both shoulders. One for the drought, and the other for exorcising multiple demons from that dark day last year.
Speaking of dark, it was literally dark for most of the game on Saturday, so much so the red ball became hard to see from the side lines.
The lights were turned on at the start of the last quarter, as constant drizzle and a mud bath middle made it tough going for players.
Moe kicked three goals in the opening term, before Sale responded with two of their own after the first break. Scores were virtually level at halftime, with the Lions ahead by one goal.
Spectators got to see a bit more action in the second half, although not from acts involving general play.
Moe forward Harry Pepper nabbed Sale midfielder Hayden Potts holding the ball, which was immediately followed by the same decision greeting Moe veteran Tom Long, who was caught by Sale playing-coach Jack Johnstone.
Long then completed an unwanted trifecta by giving away a 100 metre penalty resulting in a goal, as well as a yellow card after losing his temper.
In a day of firsts, it was Long’s first yellow card in more than 200 senior games.
Fortunately for Moe, the weather meant they weren’t too hampered being a man down, and they were able to reply through some good work from Harri Sim and James Blaser setting up Luke Mulqueen to kick a crucial goal from a set shot at the scoreboard end.
The Magpies found a reply, albeit 10 minutes later, when Jarrod Freeman found himself unattended inside 50 and unselfishly kicked it over the top to Jack McLaren who kicked the easiest of goals.
McLaren would end with two majors, and was generally accepted as the best player on the ground from both teams.
With three quarter time approaching and just one point separating the sides, Sim was able to create something out of nothing, kicking a goal out of congestion at the 29 minute mark to see Moe ahead at the final change of ends.
Sensing the team was only half an hour away from history, Lions coach Declan Keilty left his troops with parting words to the effect of “21 years, here is our opportunity”.
Sale started brightly in the last, with star midfielder Shannen Lange bursting through a stoppage two minutes in, only for the kick to go out on the full.
Understandably, conditions by now had become so treacherous it was almost impossible to handle the ball cleanly.
After the lights came on at the 12 minute mark, the game resembled rugby, with repeat stoppages until the final siren blew.
Moe forward Matt Barrand had a set shot early in the last, but was unable to convert despite his partner watching on in the stands with her fingers crossed.
A soccer kick by Chris Prowse a short time later took the Lions’ lead to an even goal, before Pepper nabbed McLaren napping inside forward 50 to be rewarded with a set shot from about 40 metres out.
Another behind followed, but given the context of the game, they were all handy points, as the ball remained at Moe’s end of the ground.
Some irony followed not long after, as Tyson Biffin laid the best tackle of his career, only for it to be deemed a push in the back after he lined Freeman up from long range.
Further contests followed, before Moe veteran James Blaser was able to throw the ball onto his left boot. The ball seemed to travel in slow motion towards the goals at the club room end. It bounced once, and looked a chance to skid through, only for the goal post to get in the way.
That behind got the lead to eight points, which proved to be enough. With the clock ticking toward 30 minutes, Sim smartly took time out of the game by holding things up after taking a mark inside 50.
Sim was in the best for the winners, as was Scott van Dyk, Grady Cocksedge, Blaser, Keilty and Pepper.
Joining McLaren in the best players for Sale was Nathan Whitford, Jayden Allison, Daine McGuiness, Adam Wallace and Jonty McGuiness.
Not sure what all the fuss was about, the Moe reserves have a good record at Sale (six wins in the last eight games).
By LIAM SMITH
TRARALGON got the points over Warragul in a fairly tame outing at Terry Hunter Oval.
The Maroons won 10.17 (77) to 2.17 (29).
The start of the game saw both teams revved up and on the ball.
However, inaccurate kicking led to multiple turnovers and missed shots on goal.
Traralgon looked like a good team with their numbers at the ball and their ability to find targets easily which helped in their win.
Warragul appeared out of sorts after a horrific injury to their most important player in Jed Lamb, which led to their downfall.
Lamb could be done for the season after he landed awkwardly and his left knee buckled at a right angle upon touching the ground.
The Maroons played good footy in the last quarter, kicking four goals in a row to blow the score out.
Josh Hamilton kicked three majors in a best on ground display. Others to play well in the win were Tom Schneider, Tom Hamilton, Conor Little, Luis D’Angelo and Tye Hourigan.
Seam Masterson battled hard for Warragul, along with Patrick Mulqueen, Brad Hefford, Cooper Alger, Jake Hughes and James Davidson.
The Maroons now face Moe in what will be match of the round in Round 6.
Both teams head in with just the one loss between them.
*Liam Smith is a Year 11 student doing work experience at the Express. He was also a boundary umpire at this game.
By LIAM DURKIN
YOU’VE had a good run Maffra.
The Eagles now look to be well and truly in a full rebuild stage, after another defeat left them without a win from five starts.
Their most recent defeat however came in perhaps more
disappointing circumstances, dropping a game at home to Morwell by 45 points, 13.11 (89) to 7.2 (44).
Heading into the match, most pundits predicted a close result, as both teams desperately needed points to help kick-start their campaign.
The Tigers had suffered an unexpected loss to Warragul the week before, and came to Maffra under severe pressure in what was virtually an elimination final for them.
The Eagles, having played more senior teams in Wonthaggi and Traralgon in previous weeks, were presented with an opponent not too dissimilar in terms of profile, but as the match wore on, it became clear just who was further ahead in the football cycle.
Maffra kicked just one point in the third term, this coming after conceding six goals in the second quarter following a tight opening term.
The visitors meanwhile went on their merry way, scoring twice as many goals after the main break than their opponents.
Adam Braendler kicked four majors for the winners, in what was a great effort considering the choppy conditions.
Sam Walsh was best on ground, while Brandon Bailey, Brandon Mcauliffe, Burkeley Macfarlane and coach Boyd Bailey were also prominent.
The coach said he was pleased with how his side responded after an indifferent couple of weeks; the Warragul loss coming a week after being touched-up big time by Traralgon.
“Was happy with the boys performance, they played well,” he said.
“We were able to finish off our work this week and take our opportunities.
“We have had a really good couple of weeks on the track and the boys got the reward from the effort they have been putting in.”
When asked if he felt any extra pressure with this game being a mini-final, Bailey said this didn’t enter the team’s frame of mind.
“We back our system and what we are trying to do,” he said.
“Can’t get involved in outside noise, what the boys have been doing on the track has been really good, just a few KPI’s (key performance indicators) we weren’t hitting.
“Really positive group to be around.”
For Maffra, experience led the way in the form of Ben Brunt, John Butcher, Ed Carr, Nathan
Pollard, Kieran Jones and Kade Renooy.
ELSEWHERE, the real coronation took place in Leongatha.
The Parrots extended their unbeaten run to 33, and will surely be crowned kings of
Gippsland football if they take their record past Maffra’s 45.
Leongatha inflicted maximum damage on Bairnsale, winning 19.18 (132) to 2.5 (17).
At the moment, there could only be one team that can beat Leongatha – Leongatha themselves.
WONTHAGGI got over the line against a determined Drouin, 10.11 (71) to 10.2 (62).
While the visiting Hawks are still yet to win a game, another close loss means they are very much a danger side.
