TOM HAYES
FOOTBALL
NORTH GIPPSLAND
By TOM HAYES
THERE has been movement in the top five, and with just one round remaining in the North Gippsland Football-Netball League home-and-away season, these results could have major ramifications.
Some positions are completely tied up, while the five teams that will continue after next weekend are also confirmed.
Those positions are not confirmed yet, and with a week to go, there is most likely going to be some more twists and turns.
THE Jets are third, for now.
Yallourn Yallourn North secured a win for the ages at Gaskin Park, downing the Cougars at the last gasp.
This was a proper see-saw affair, one that saw Churchill start the better of the two.
The Cougars burst out to a 13-point lead at quarter time, kicking three goals to one in the opening term.
Both sides showed inaccuracies in front of goal, in a quarter that saw nine behinds scored between the two sides.
YYN thrived in the second term, this time keeping the home side to just three behinds.
While doing so, the Jets added 3.3 (21) to their score line, taking the lead in the all-important encounter by the time the halftime siren rang.
On the scoreboard, the third quarter appears to be a tight one, in fact it could have been blown out of proportion for either team.
Both sides swayed the momentum, but neither side was able to take advantage of it.
The Cougars kicked 2.7 (19) to the Jets’ 3.3 (21), extending ever-so-slightly on their five-point advantage which now stood at seven.
The final term went down to the wire, but it was Churchill who started to turn it on, blasting into the lead and looking like they had overrun the Jets again, like they did in their last encounter in Round 6.
Goals from Jarrod Henderson, Joel Mason and Travis Brighton gave Churchill a handy buffer with little time left on the clock.
Up stepped the Jets’ twin towers, Dean Macdonald and Keenan Hughes.
Macdonald kicked YYN back into contention with a long range effort, but still trailing by three points.
Within the final minute, the Jets looked inside 50 for what would be the final time, and it was Hughes that stood tallest over two Cougars, promptly running around the corner and snapping truly on his left.
YYN had stolen it, and 45 seconds later, the siren confirmed it, 10.14 (74) to 9.17 (71).
For YYN, Mitchell Luck stood out the most, as did Anthony Young, Dylan Bath, Matt Twaddle, Barrie Burnett and Kyle Jennings.
Blake Slater was recognised for his efforts, as was Kurt Holt, Chris Williams, Hayden Weir, Jordan Fenech and Nick Celima.
And with that, the Jets moved into third on the ladder, but now their final position is out of their hands.
With a bye this weekend, they need both Churchill and Heyfield to lose in order to hold onto the double-chance.
As for the Cougars, they were ever-so-close to confirming a place in the top-three, and now looking into the final round, it’s probably most likely they will finish fifth and play YYN again in an elimination final.
THE Bombers are the minor premiers.
The Bombers jumped back out to two games clear on top of the ladder after a convincing 156-point win over Glengarry.
In an effort that saw the Bombers hold the Magpies scoreless for a half of football, the game was all but over by the main break.
TTU did it with ease, going from 33 points up at quarter time, to 78 at halftime.
Glengarry got going in the third time, but unfortunately for them, that’s all they did for the game on the scoreboard.
TTU extended the lead out to 99 points with a quarter to play, before the onslaught that buried the Magpies on their home deck.
The Bombers kicked 9.5 (59) to two behinds in the final term, blowing the lead well over 100 points, then 150, sealing the minor premiership in style, 27.14 (176) to 3.2 (20).
Goals came from multiple sources for the Bombers. Brad Kelleher and Jye Neilson kicked five each, Beau White had four, while Frazar Brouns, Nick Fox, Tyler Mustoe and Liam Willaton all kicked two.
Brouns was best-on, complimented by Kade Duncan, Michael Jacobsen, Zach Kilgower, Neilson and Kelleher.
For Glengarry, Jesse Lee, Jack Burgess, Spencer Poulton, Kyle Wheatley, Michael Ryan and Callum Mitchell were all stand outs in defeat.
TTU can deny Churchill a top-three berth next week, and I’m sure on top of that they will want to finish the season undefeated.
As for Glengarry, they’re currently 10th, but a win against Gormandale on the final weekend could see them jump Cowwarr.
SALE CITY ended Yarram’s season.
The Bulldogs denied the Demons a finals chance, knocking them out of contention.
Yarram had slim hopes of finals coming into the last two rounds, needing a handful of results to fall their way, they also needed to make sure to win themselves.
Sale City commanded to an early 14-point lead, which soon grew out to 34 by halftime.
In typical fashion, the Bulldogs started fast and put their opponent on the back foot, but this time, they had held onto a lead and were in a position to defend it.
An eight goal to two half is in no way a fluke, as Sale City looked to not only defend their lead, but extend on it.
They continued to make it hard for the Demons, as Yarram saw the door close in on their finals chances, another quarter won by the Bulldogs had all but sealed it.
Forty points up with a quarter left, Yarram had their best quarter, kicking 3.4 (22).
As for the Demons, their season was over.
Jack Kirkham led the way for the Bulldogs, earning himself a spot in the best with Jaxsyn Whitehill, Billy Quirk, Daniel Howe, Toby Lock and Lachlan Carman.
For Yarram, Liam Bentley impressed, and was complimented by Dylan Garnham, veteran Chris Bruns, Jake Mcfarland, Boadie Motton and Tyler Chisholm.
Following some good patches of form throughout the year, Yarram left it too late and will now look to 2024.
This will be the first time Yarram has missed finals since 2015.
HEYFIELD moved closer to the top three.
Still in fifth after this monster win, Heyfield are one win away from the top three.
Heyfield showed no mercy to Gormandale, belting them in each quarter to walk away as a triple-digit winner.
The Kangaroos, as expected, would not let anyone get in their way in the final two rounds, and have certainly showed that.
The score line could have looked worse if it was for straighter kicking, yet Heyfield looked strong, going from 48 points up at quarter time to 65 at halftime.
As Heyfield neared 100 points, so did the margin, as another three goals to one in the third term saw the lead grow to 83, before a four-goal to none last quarter allowed the margin to soar past 100.
Heyfield will go into the final game, needing to back-up a 111-point win over the Tigers, 17.22 (124) to 2.1 (13).
The goals were shared around in the Kangaroo camp, with 11 separate goal kickers, five of which slotted multiples.
Tyson Birss was best-on-ground, while Jack Christian (three goals), Mitch Bennett, Robert McMillan, Brayden Woodland and Liam Heasley also stood out.
Luke Farry, Jet Krimhand, Flynn Roscoe, Tristian Salerno, Kodie Owen and Nick Millington played their part for Gormandale.
Some great sportsmanship was shown in the reserves game between Heyfield and Gormandale, with both sides working together to give Gormandale’s Ben Jones a memory he’ll never forget.
Benny ‘Bang Bang’ Jones is the water carrier for the reserves and seniors out at Gormandale, and always a helping hand around the club.
Benny kicked three goals in the reserves match at the weekend, with both sides getting around him after each goal.
Heyfield invited the Tigers into their rooms, while presenting Benny with the match ball and their award for goal of the day.
That’s twos footy done right.
THE only game with nothing on the line, between Rosedale and Cowwarr, might have been the best of the lot.
Every moment of every quarter was close in this encounter, as it should have been, considering these two drew in Round 6.
The lead changed hands at the end of every quarter, even by the slimmest of margins.
It was the Saints who started best and held one of the biggest leads of the game, up by seven points at quarter time, Rosedale then took a one-point lead into the main break.
The second half was just as close as the first, which saw the Saints led ahead of the final quarter, also by a point.
But it came down to the last term, where Rosedale eventually showed why they deserved to sit ahead of Cowwarr on the ladder, kicking 3.1 (19) to 2.3 (15), leading by three points at the time of the final siren, 11.10 (76) to 10.13 (73).
Sam Bristow kicked four goals for the Blues, while Kodie Carnes, Luke Stuckey, Hayden Bell, Corey Buys, Jake Pawley and Will Logan amassed best-on performances.
Mathew Leicester was best for the Saints, kicking three goals, also in the best was Lee Bourke, Shane Morgan (three goals), Ben Coffey and Thomas Pattle.
ALL that is up for grabs is the double-chance, which can go one of three ways.
TTU have locked in first, while Woodside cannot move from second.
Heyfield face Cowwarr in a game they really should win, while Churchill are tasked with the undefeated TTU – not the easiest game in the world, and YYN has a bye.
You should expected Heyfield to jump both YYN and Churchill into third, which would see Churchill drop to fifth if they lose.
