FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
By LIAM DURKIN
REALISTS and optimists will be at loggerheads as the Gippsland League gets closer to the end of the regular season.
While incredibly, seven teams still remain a mathematical chance of changing positions before the final five is sorted, the sheer fact that there is only two rounds left in the regular season means that in actuality, it is down to three teams for two spots.
Morwell holds fourth by half-a-game from Wonthaggi and Sale, with Bairnsdale another game behind.
Unfortunately for the Redlegs, their decade-long finals drought looks set to continue. However, Bairnsdale will still play some part in the post-regular season, albeit for a different reason.
Bairnsdale City Oval is hosting the Elimination Final, which throws another complexity into the mix for the trio of Latrobe Valley teams.
There might only be half-a-game between fourth and sixth, but there is also only a game-and-a-half between Moe (in second), Traralgon (third) and Morwell.
As Bairnsdale is the hardest road trip in the league, the Lions, Maroons and Tigers will be out to avoid playing a cutthroat final in Bairnsdale at all costs.
The Gippsland League has its final league-wide bye this week.
Traralgon 22.7 (139) def Drouin 18.5 (113)
THE best form of defence is offence.
Traralgon and Drouin played with no defenders at Terry Hunter Oval, throwing back to a bygone era when games were virtually glorified versions of markers-up.
In all, 40 goals were kicked between the two sides as they both went well past the ton.
As entertaining as it was, there still had to be a winner, and the points went to the Maroons 22.7 (139) to 18.5 (113).
Sharp-shooting at either end kept the goal umpires busy, while the Hawks were surely pleased to play in such a manner after weeks of slogging it out in the mud on their home ground.
Drouin showed their adaptability to play an exciting brand, which has been a hallmark of their style under Brent Clinnick, who has two games left before handing over the reins.
Seb Amoroso and Ed Morris kicked seven goals between them, and were helped out by Jacob Sandman, Kye Quirk, Jordan Kingi and Dan Clebney.
Despite six players scoring multiple goals for the Hawks, they were actually never really in the hunt.
Traralgon had 15 goals and nearly 100 points on the board at halftime, and led by 56 points at the final change.
Taking a leaf out of former Australian Test cricketer Geoff Marsh’s handbook, the Maroons just kept scoring.
Marsh, who was not known to talk much, perhaps showed why when he reportedly got up in a team meeting once and said: “if we score more runs than them we’ll win.”
Dan McKenna and Harvey Neocelous led the goal-kickers for the winners, each nabbing five.
McKenna has come out of retirement in the second half of the season to help plug a hole created by an injury to captain Tye Hourigan.
If both are to play in the same team come finals, it might prove to be a masterstroke for Traralgon.
Joel Scholtes continued his red-hot and possibly best-and-fairest form with another strong showing, while Sammy Hallyburton, Jordan Cunico, Dylan Loprese and Jackson McMahon all contributed.
Loprese recently played his 150th senior game, and was joined in the 100 club at the weekend by Tate Marsh, who will now get his name on the locker as is Traralgon tradition.
A popular member of the team, Marsh has patrolled the wing for the Maroons for the best part of a decade. He has also shown strong resolve to come back after being a very surprising non-selection during former coach Tim McGibney’s time.
After playing all 21 senior games in 2018, Marsh played only five the following season in McGibney’s first year, which left many in local footy circles staggered to say the least.
Jake Best then played Marsh in every game in his first year as coach in 2021, and he has hardly missed a game since.
Best, who left the post of Traralgon playing-coach last season, is understood to be wrapped with how his old side is going.
He would however be well within his rights to feel a little unlucky.
It is said timing is everything. Given the profile of the competition this season, the Maroons would just about be unstoppable if they had last year’s team of Best, Tom Schneider, Mark Collison and Brett Eddy.
In a game that saw 40 goals kicked, just imagine how many Eddy would have finished with.
Moe 13.18 (96) def Maffra 11.5 (71)
MOE took a step closer to securing a double-chance.
The Lions defeated Maffra in a fairly non-descript game by 25 points at Ted Summerton Reserve.
In short, Maffra were good, but Moe was better, and won 13.18 (96) to 11.5 (71).
The Eagles were more than competitive throughout the day, and trailed by only four points at halftime.
Moe however kicked five goals to two in the third term to ensure they controlled the game from there on.
For a team coming last, Maffra still displayed a decent style, and looked to keep the game moving by foot and locating free players.
While history might not show it when the final ladder is sorted, the Eagles are a much-improved team from last year.
In the corresponding fixture against Moe last season, Maffra at one stage dropped eight players behind the ball to stop the scoreboard blowing out.
There was none of that at the weekend.
Noah Christy kicked three goals for the visitors, wearing the Number 77 made famous by Adrian Burgiel (does always get me why a player that good wore a number that high).
Zac Felsbourg was Maffra’s best, followed by Alex Carr, Jett Killoran, Seth Smith, Tom Scott and Sam Robbins, who was engaged in some on-field banter with Moe’s Matt Heywood.
Heywood was among the Lions best, and came out of the contest with a decent scar on his neck, the result of a few dustups in the second term as tempers flared.
Jacob Balfour was best for the winners, and received good support from Brock Smith, Trent Baldi, Harri Sim and Riley Baldi.
Trent Baldi’s desperation was evident right to the end, after he followed his kick inside 50 and ended up affecting a smother to get the ball out of bounds in the forward pocket.
The Lions were afforded the opportunity to try a few moves late, and played young defender James Maslen in the ruck.
Fellow youngster Jordan Shields continued to show good signs, featuring in a few notable moments.
Shields, possibly the smallest Gippsland League senior player since Christian Burgess at Morwell (who played at barely 60kgs), won a free kick for holding the ball at half-forward after bravely standing his ground in front of on-coming traffic.
Adding to the stories from the day, Aaron Wilson played his first senior game in more than two years, having received the call-up on the morning of the game.
A dominant player in the early timeslot (two club best-and-fairests), Wilson may have in fact found playing after lunch easier in some respects.
The form of Balfour (three bests in the last five games) and Heywood (three in the last four) will give the Moe coaching staff reason to be cautiously optimistic heading into finals.
Understandably, most of the attention come finals will go to players the likes of the Baldi twins, Smith and playing-coach Declan Keilty, however, versatile role players like Balfour and Heywood can be worth their weight in gold.
Dustin Martin wouldn’t have won half the medals he has if it wasn’t for the unrewarded work of Kane Lambert.
Warragul 6.13 (49) def by Morwell 14.10 (94)
MORWELL won their virtual elimination final.
The Tigers had no other option but to beat Warragul, and they did just that, winning 14.10 (94) to 6.13 (49) at Western Park.
For a game that ended in a 45-point victory, there remained every chance Morwell was going to get rolled for three quarters.
The visitors only led by two points at halftime, and only eight at three quarter time.
Whatever was said at the last change did not fall on deaf ears, as Morwell kicked eight goals to two and skipped away.
While the margin was under the 10 point threshold that has become synonymous with Morwell in the last three years, it kept the heartrate going all the same.
Cohen Campbell, Cody Macdonald and Brandon McDonald kicked three goals each for the Tigers, while Tyler Brown slotted two and was among the best players.
Brandon Mcauliffe got the main accolades, and was followed by Zac Anderson, Burkeley Macfarlane, Blake Couling and Judah Leak.
Macfarlane is enjoying arguably his breakout season, while Leak might have just secured his spot in the team at the most important stage of the year.
For the third year in a row, the Tigers are facing a scenario where they will not know their finals fate until late in the season.
Lucas Carter was best for Warragul, and was ably assisted by Lane Ward, Brad Hefford, Jack Lewsey, Mitch Smart and Sean Masterson.
Wonthaggi 17.10 (112) def Bairnsdale 4.9 (33)
HERE they come.
Wonthaggi surged into the top five for the first time this season, and possibly ended the campaign of a would-be challenger in the process.
The Power demolished Bairnsdale, 17.10 (112) to 4.9 (33).
The 79-point win increased Wonthaggi’s percentage by 8.35, and took them from seventh to fifth on the ladder.
With two rounds to go, the signs appear very ominous.
Everything is working and just about everyone is fearful.
Ryan Sparkes is qualified and Collingwood won’t play VFL finals.
The Power have won six of their last seven games, and still have players to come back.
The sight of Rod Tack in the reserves from earlier in the season, (showing just how short they were) seems like a lifetime ago.
Sparkes played his fourth game for his home club at the weekend (qualifying him for finals), while the names Jakeb Thomas, Isaac Chugg, Cooper McInnes (five goals), Jye Gilmour and Josh Schulz did a sound job.
Hugh Longbottom, Lachlan Cloak, Cooper Harvey, Ethan East, Brayden McCarrey and Tyran Rees were best for the Redlegs.
Bairnsdale’s season looks set to end in disappointing fashion.
Having put themselves in a reasonable position with a win-loss record of 5-4 at the halfway mark, the Redlegs have won just three games since.
Losses to Traralgon, Morwell and Moe by single figure margins have proven costly.
By contrast, Wonthaggi has turned around a horrendous start to the season (1-4), to now have every finals-bound team on edge.
Assuming they qualify, the biggest hurdle for the Power will be getting past the elimination final.
With the double-chance out of reach, Wonthaggi has no choice but to take the long road in finals – literally, as the elimination final is in Bairnsdale.
If the Power can overcome the longest road trip in Country Victoria, they will likely play either Moe or Traralgon in the sudden death semi. Wonthaggi has beaten the Maroons and still has to play the Lions before the regular season is out.
That game looms as one that could have huge psychological ramifications.
Should Wonthaggi make it all the way to a preliminary final, they will absolutely be a genuine chance of stepping into the decider.
Remember what happened in the ’99 prelim. Carlton lost 11 games that year, Essendon lost just four.
The Power have their own miracle preliminary final to reference, and fittingly it happened a decade ago.
Wonthaggi came back from 45 points down at three quarter time on that day in 2014 to make the Grand Final.
There are a few survivors from that team still playing today: Aiden Lindsay, Shannon Bray, Toma Huther and Jack Blair.
Sale 7.11 (53) def by Leongatha 12.17 (89)
SALE lost, but live to fight another day.
The Magpies were well beaten by Leongatha, 12.17 (89) to 7.11 (53).
A fast start from the visiting Parrots saw them register 5.3 (33) in the opening term, from which time Sale never managed to recover.
Another five goals in the second blew the margin out to 54 points at the main break.
Sale readjusted in the sheds, and were able to keep Leongatha to 1.5 (11) in the third term, but by then the damage had well and truly been done.
Magpies assistant coach Peter Morrison lamented the poor second quarter as the deciding factor.
“When you don’t score early it puts enormous pressure on,” he said.
“They dominated the game in the second quarter and took the game right away from us.”
Jarrod Freeman battled hard for the home side, as did Hudson Holmes, Derek Eggmolesse-Smith, Will Leslie, Jack Leslie and Jonty McGuiness.
While the margin was perhaps alarming for Sale, the collateral affect wasn’t totally damaging.
The Magpies are still equal-fifth on the ladder, and now have their destiny in their own hands with games against Morwell and Bairnsdale to finish.
Reliable and familiar faces were among the top performers for Leongatha, who could once again be hitting their peak just as finals approach.
Looking at the list, the Parrots were still without Tallin Brill, Nick Argento and senior games record holder Sean Westaway.
Cade Maskell was best, followed by Jenson Garnham, Ben Willis, Jay Walker, Kim Drew and Tim Sauvarin.
Sauvarin has not been disturbed by an absence from senior footy. He has played just five games this year, and played just the one reserves game last year.
Good players are just always good aren’t they?
