FOOTBALL
NORTH GIPPSLAND
By TOM HAYES and BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
THE race for the finals in North Gippsland football just took another turn.
Teams are still scrambling between themselves to establish their positions, as nothing is set in stone just yet.
Eight teams are still within a chance of being in the final five, while those already in the top five continue to move around, as the coveted first place changed hands for essentially the first time all season.
Sale City 8.16 (64) def Woodside 5.7 (37)
A LOT can change in a fortnight.
Two weeks ago, Woodside was sailing head and shoulders above the rest, undefeated and unworried.
Now, they have lost two on the bounce, cracks have begun to show, and they are no longer the frontrunner.
Sale City well and truly made a statement at the weekend, dethroning the league leaders 8.16 (64) to 5.7 (37).
In a tense first quarter, only one side could muster a goal, that being the home side, as the Bulldogs took a one goal lead into quarter time.
A number of chances went begging for both sides however, as both teams registered four behinds.
But Sale City would not be pushed over, and they emerged as the aggressor before halftime, extending their lead out to 13 points.
Woodside could only manage the one goal for the entire first half, clearly one of the hardest halves of football they had played this year, while the Bulldogs added two more to their tally.
The game opened up much more in the second half, with more scores going through the big sticks, although it wasn’t without minor scores throughout.
Both sides had their fair number of chances in front of goal, but again, Sale City weren’t to be outdone.
To imagine how much they could’ve been ahead by if the majority of their chances hit the target, they added 4.5 (29) going into the last quarter, as the Wildcats scored 3.1 (19) – the home side with a 23-point lead up their sleeve.
Considering Woodside had only scored 4.6 (30) up until three quarter time, it was going to be difficult to see them double their score in a quarter to overturn the deficit.
In fact, it did turn out to be too much in the end, as the Bulldogs kicked 1.5 (11) in the last term to the Wildcats’ 1.1 (7), taking out the four points with a 27-point win.
Sale City’s Kane Martin was best-on-ground, leading the way with three goals. Joining him in the best was Daine McGuiness, Cooper Whitehill, Brayden Macgregor-Davies, Troy Carstairs and Tom Bowman.
For Woodside, Cameron Whiteoak, Josh Kennedy, Matt Dyke, Josh Hicks, Jai Williams and Liam Leeson were standouts.
The result made Woodside vulnerable to lose their position, as Traralgon Tyers United assumed first place following their win over Rosedale.
As for Sale City, they are once again well within the fight for the top five, now sitting just one win behind fifth-placed Yarram – with a significantly bigger percentage.
Gormandale 7.6 (48) def by Churchill 17.14 (116)
THE Boneyard was the home of the WorkSafe Country Club game.
Gormandale hosted Churchill on what was a great day for country football, with ex-premiership Bulldog Tom Boyd in attendance with WorkSafe as an ambassador.
Churchill paid homage to Angus Peter, brother of senior player Rory, who passed away during the week. Angus was a lively character around the club, always open to give a hand when needed.
The Tigers put on a show, and although their impressive start to the game was positive, fell short of the Cougars, 17.14 (116) to 7.6 (48).
It was Gormandale’s best total score of the season, and they started with real poise, jumping out to an early lead, but Churchill came fighting back to lead at quarter time by 14 points.
The visitors reaffirmed their dominance as halftime approached, adding 3.6 (24) to their tally, while keeping the home side scoreless, to stretch the margin out to 38 points.
Although within touching distance for Gormandale, it was going to take all they had to achieve a result.
They produced one of their best quarters of the year against a side that is making a late push for finals, kicking 4.1 (25) in the third term. But it was to be outdone, as Churchill counteracted with six goals of their own.
With a quarter to play, the margin stood at 52 points and the Cougars looked to ease their way home.
It wasn’t without a fight, as Gormandale pushed on to score another two goals. Churchill managed 4.4 (28) in the final term to put a full stop on their 68-point win.
Veteran Brendan Holt kicked seven goals, bringing his overall tally to 41 goals, sitting equal-fifth in the standings with Woodside’s Daniel Farmer.
Rory Peter (two goals) was named best-on-ground for the Cougars. Also highlighted was Ashley Di Ciero, Holt, Joseph Whykes, Jack Hasell and Ben Skinner.
Flynn Roscoe played his 50th game for Gormandale at the weekend, and was named in their best, along with Steven Burgess, Tristan Salerno, Ryleigh Musgrove, Hayden Richards and Trent Baldwin.
Many would suggest that Churchill need to win every game possible to even be a chance for finals, currently sitting two games outside the top five.
With Heyfield next week at home, their chances of progressing past the home-and-away season are well and truly on the line.
Heyfield 14.31 (115) def Glengarry 1.2 (8)
HEYFIELD did what was needed.
To gain some comfortability within the top five, the Kangaroos needed to win, and they did just that when they hosted Glengarry.
The final score read 14.31 (115) to 1.2 (8).
The fact that Heyfield was able to outscore Glengarry almost four times over with their behinds alone might just tell the story in this one.
The scoreboard could have been damning if the Kangaroos’ conversions were reversed.
Heyfield rushed out to a 31-point quarter time lead, holding the Magpies to no score, while registering 11 scoring shots of their own.
They might’ve been annoyed with themselves in the second term, as they could only kick one major, yet seven behinds extended their lead by two goals after all that effort.
Glengarry got on the scoreboard before halftime, registering a behind.
Heyfield resurged with their best quarter of the game so far, kicking 4.9 (33), while the Magpies kicked just another point.
The home side would’ve wanted to put the Magpies away in the final quarter, which they eventually did, but just to give themselves some more percentage while they could.
The Kangaroos kicked 5.8 (38) in the final quarter, while allowing Glengarry to kick their first and only goal of the game, running out as 107-point winners.
Thomas Marchesi, Mitchell Stevens (three goals), Brayden Woodland, Kail Hole, Liam Heasley and Kyle Graham (four goals) were among the best for Heyfield.
For the visitors, Jamie Bassi, Michael Ryan, Jesse Lee, Oscar Poulton, Thomas Harris and Mitch Harris were highlights.
An important matchup comes for Heyfield this week, as they travel to Churchill who will be going into the bout with nothing else other than winning on their mind.
TTU 11.16 (82) def Rosedale 3.11 (29)
TRARALGON Tyers United to the top.
It’s theirs for the taking now as the reigning premier finally find themselves back on top of the North Gippsland football ladder.
Their 11.16 (82) to 3.11 (29) win over Rosedale was no walk in the park, but perhaps their thanks should go the way of Sale City for now.
Coming in as favourites, TTU were expected to win, having not lost a game since Round 1. Rosedale put up a fight away from home but found themselves on the receiving end of a reality check.
The Bombers started positively with a 10-point advantage at quarter time, but it was by no means convincing, as they scored 2.6 (18), leaving Rosedale in the match.
They established a little bit more dominance in the second term, charging out to a 21-point lead, but Rosedale aren’t the pushovers they were last year. More was needed to confirm the win for TTU.
A huge four-goal to nothing quarter was what kept Rosedale at bay of surprising TTU in the latter stages of the match.
With the seven-goal lead up their sleeve going into the final quarter, the Bombers could breathe a little easier.
Although a flurry of chances went their way in the last quarter, TTU could only muster 2.6 (18) to the Blues’ 1.1 (7), walking away 53-point winners.
Frazar Brouns had a day out against his old side, kicking five goals and being named best-on-ground. Also mentioned was Oscar Aliotta, Hayden Willaton, Zach Kilgower, Jake Cashmore and Stuart Goddard.
For the Blues, Blake Safstrom, Jay Diamond, Declan Barnett, Brandon McConnell, Harry Foat and Jake Suter were named in the best.
YYN 18.12 (120) def Cowwarr 4.4 (28)
WINTER has come.
During a day in which many would have expected a tough watch, Yallourn Yallourn North still managed to look worlds clear of Cowwarr, despite what the rain and the ground was doing for both, winning 18.12 (120) to 4.4 (28).
George Bates Reserve had turned into a mud pit by the time the seniors stepped onto the field, and would have had most suspecting it would level things out between a third versus ninth match-up, but it didn’t really matter.
The Jets jumped out to a 6.3 (39) to two-straight goal lead at quarter time, and added another five goals through the second term to the Saints’ one behind.
Across the ground, it was obvious from just a talent perspective how far advanced YYN were, who returned a number of key players into their line-up and were strikingly clean despite the conditions from top to bottom.
The Jets would pile on north of five goals through the third and fourth quarters before Cowwarr added just one.
Returning YYN defender, Campbell MacInnes took the job of minding former teammate Keenan Hughes, who was tied at the top with YYN’s Dean Macdonald for the league goal kicking before the game, and stood strong, holding the former Jet to just one goal, albeit when MacInnes was rested on the bench late.
The Saints added two goals in the last quarter just as both sides were ready to pack it in and head for the showers.
Dean MacDonald had no problem in a day where sloppy forward entries wouldn’t have been a surprise. He kicked a bag of six to go along with multiple goals from Josh Keyhoe (three), Barrie Burnett, James De Virgilio (best-on-ground) and Lachlan Rees.
De Virgilio, MacDonald, Anthony Young, Lucas Fry, Jai Massese and Darcy Shellcot were stars of the show for YYN, while Michael McLellan, Hayden Hector, Hughes, Connor Cook, Brady Hood and Rhys Luxford stood out despite the result for Cowwarr.
As Woodside fell to Sale City, it sets up a fascinating matchup this weekend, were the Jets could move just one game behind the Wildcats for second on the ladder and scare the daylights out of the premiership hopefuls.
BYE – Yarram
