ROB POPPLESTONE
FOOTBALL
MID GIPPSLAND
By ROB POPPLESTONE
WHILE the Mid Gippsland Football-Netball League minor premiership is now officially Newborough’s after 15 rounds, the race to the last available double-chance is still very much up for grabs.
Just two rounds remain in the regular season, with as many as three teams fighting for a top-two finish.
Newborough v Boolarra
AS good as Newborough has been over the course of the first 15 rounds of the home-and-away season, there was no question that improvements were still being sought from coach Craig Skinner every week.
This game saw just that, with the Bulldogs winning 27.14 (176) over a disappointing Boolarra 4.5 (29).
Skinner was pleased with the consistency of performance from his side.
“Was a great day for footy and after playing Boolarra three weeks ago we worked on increasing consistency and decreasing complacency and it seemed to work,” he said.
“An even contribution from everyone today is what every coach coming into finals wants to see. Was a bit of spice in the game but you get that from rival clubs. The umpiring was great today and kept the game flowing.”
The Bulldogs were good, the Demons a little of their best, and a little off your best can put a side a long way behind on the scoreboard, as coach Tony Giardina said.
“Didn’t turn up to play against a very polished side who made us pay every time we turned it over,” he lamented.
As the home-and-away season starts to wind down, both these clubs coaches will look beyond with contrasting priorities. For Newborough’s Craig Skinner, there remains some unfinished business as he tries to right a wrong of a Grand Final loss in 2022, while for Giardina, who has one more game before stepping down, it’s the opportunity to have some weekends off and possibly just watch some local for enjoyment sake only.
Thorpdale v Stony Creek
THORPDALE has been the big improvers throughout the 2023 season, but they were still a win away from being certain that they would be part of the finals in just under a month’s time.
The Blues, fully aware that they could ill-afford to drop an unexpected one to a very dangerous Stony Creek side and then be confronted with what would be a do-or-die clash in the last round of the year against Morwell East, got the result they desired.
Thorpdale eased some of the pressure but not all of it, winning 10-10 (70) to 7.8 (50).
Blues coach Jason Winderlich was happy to bank an important win.
“Good effort by the group to get the four points again,” he said.
“Stony came home hard so it was good for the group to have some tough footy before the bye. With players missing it was great to see some of the young guys step up. Lot’s of sore bodies this time of year so the break has come at a good time for the group.”It was possibly the perfect preparation for a side, only weeks away from a finals campaign, while for the Lions, it was a match that showcased some encouraging signs looking towards the future.
“Another tight contest in the end. I think we managed to give Thorpy a bit of a scare in that last quarter when the margin was 11 points,” Stony Creek coach Chris Verboon said.
“We came home strong with some really good ball movement. We took the game on and it was pleasing to see we didn’t just let them run away with an easy win.
“It’s disappointing that we couldn’t get the win but we are building and our boys did a great job to stick with a side that should do some damage come finals time.”
On field, Stony Creek are slowly putting it all together, off field, Verboon made the tongue-in-cheek comment that he would like some improvement in his players’ song selections.
“On a serious note, we really need to lift our pre and post game tune selection. Thorpdale smashed us in this area and we will be working hard this week to rectify it.”
Verboon’s observation highlights that footy can still be and should be fun, and there will certainly be fun times ahead for the Lions.
MDU v Mirboo North
MEENIYAN DUMBALK UNITED have had their sights set on a coveted top-two spot for a number of weeks, knowing that with the evenness of the MGFNL competition, the last place you would want to be is stuck in an elimination clash with no second chance come finals time.
To that end, the Demons were expected to stride past Mirboo North, and despite an early scare, that’s what they did, winning 13.8 (86) to 8.4 (52).
MDU coach Nathan Allen described it as a hard-fought win.
“We had another important win today. I was told it’s the first time the seniors have beaten Mirboo since the leagues joined (Mid Gippsland and Alberton),” he said.
“Mirboo had a really good first half and challenged us in a lot of areas! After halftime we adjusted a couple of things and we were able to play the game in our forward half.
“Our forwards were able to put a score on the board and have a really enjoyable last quarter.
“Next week we have the bye. A good chance for our guys to freshen up and then hopefully we have a near fully healthy list to pick from heading into the last round and finals.”
Having players’ preparation aligned with the club’s fixture is now crucial, as every small percentage of improvement can mean the difference between success and failure.
On the weekend, it appeared the Tigers might have stolen an unexpected victory, but all those ‘small’ things can change a game.
Mirboo North coach Peter Mongta said his side had some work to do.
“Great conditions and a decent crowd at MDU set up for a great contest,” he said.
“The first half of footy was pretty hot and contested, (Justin) Pellicano hit the scoreboard early and (Darcy) Brock was tirelessly working hard through the midfield, winning the 50/50 ball with good support.
“To the boys’ credit we shut down their short kicking game and our back six in (Joel) Lambourn and (Julian) Blackford cut off a lot of good entries.
“But to MDU’s credit, when we forced them wide with set shots they still managed to score. We came into the sheds at halftime with a two goal lead and it was a different MDU that threw everything at us in the third quarter, but we managed to hold and come in three points down. Again MDU applied good pressure and they managed to maintain possession with great kicking and that’s when the gaps started to open up.”
As good as Mirboo North were, MDU kept themselves in the game and slowly but surely wore down their opposition to find a way to win, a little different to many of their wins prior, but a win nonetheless.
Morwell East v Toora
WITH a 50 year reunion of players, coaches, officials and supporters past and present ready to celebrate on the Saturday night, an improving Morwell East planned to get the party started with a win on the Saturday afternoon.
Morwell East took a win to the function, after comfortably beating Toora 21.22 (148) to 5.7 (37).
Hawks coach Paul Henry said it was a great day for the club.
“We had a huge milestone game this week, with Brandon Francis playing his 200th senior game,” he said.
“We wanted to give him exactly what he gives us every time he steps out on that field and that was absolute effort, absolute courage, and absolute leadership. Together with him, we delivered an impressive four quarter effort. Next week we travel to Stoney Creek, which we know, will be a huge contest.”
A few cards still need to fall the right way for the Hawks to manoeuvre their way into a finals position, from which, anything is possible given the evenness of the competition.
For Toora, the season is closing quickly, and the focus for the Magpies will turn to their last game of the year against MDU.
“Morwell East (was) too slick today on a big day for their club,” Toora coach Jack Weston said.
“Looking forward to the bye next week to freshen up into Meeniyan the following week.”
Foster v Fish Creek
THERE would be no room for a short step, no reason to deviate off the line and absolutely no excuses in this most intriguing clash between the second-placed Fish Creek and sixth-placed Foster.
For the Kangaroos, a win would go a long way to securing the double-chance, and for the Tigers, a top-six finals spot was theirs to grab.
Fish Creek took that step to immunity, winning 8.18 (66) to Foster 4.9 (33).
Kangaroos coach Jarred Walker said it was always good to win a rivalry game.
“A great win against the old foe. Foster definitely came to play and the game had a finals-like feel,” he said.
The Kangaroos have bobbed their head above a chasing pack trying to close in on league-leaders Newborough, and their efforts on the weekend justifies their current second spot.
Despite the result, Foster coach Sam Davies said there was some positives.
“Plenty of adversity for our group and I’m proud of our efforts,” he said.
“Injury list is only growing with another two in the game but we still had the character to be leading at halftime against a full strength team with everything going their way.
“Never nice to lose but the heart and quality of the human is big at Tigerland.”
For Fish Creek it was another win that has the Kangaroos in prime position to lock away a top-two spot.
HILL END, Yinnar and Tarwin had the bye.
