FOOTBALL
NORTH GIPPSLAND
By TOM HAYES
ROUND 1 of North Gippsland Football-Netball League senior football had absolutely everything, from nail-biting finishes to mammoth results, even a draw and an abandoned match.
Being early days into the season, results have caught some eyes, and question marks have been raised regarding some sides.
Woodside 11.14 (80) def by TTU 13.10 (88)
NEARLY seven months on from the Grand Final, granting Woodside the flag over Traralgon Tyers United, the Bombers’ revenge over the Wildcats could not have been any sweeter.
TTU were clinical in victory, edging past the reigning premier 13.10 (88) to 11.14 (80) at Woodside Recreation Reserve.
The Bombers were the aggressors from the beginning, making the most of their chances early to give themselves an early advantage.
A free flowing first term saw TTU hold a scoring advantage with eight scoring shots to Woodside’s seven. Although from those chances, the Bombers recorded 5.3 (33) to 2.5 (17), granting a 16-point quarter time lead.
The reigning premier wasn’t going to give up that easily.
The home side took out the second quarter to reduce the margin back to 11 points at halftime, kicking four goals to three.
Momentum was in the hands of the hosts, and the halftime break wasn’t going to stop that run, as the Wildcats came out of the gates hot in the third term.
Both sides evidently had plans of attack, and weirdly enough, matching them up against each other, it was hard to identify a clearly better plan of attack, until you pondered at the scoreboard.
Woodside were suddenly the more aggressive of the two, hitting up options in the middle and attacking through the guts. But TTU’s defence stood strong for the most part, nullifying the many Woodside chances.
On the other hand, TTU were happy to chip and mark to progress their way up the field, that only worked to some extent, as Woodside’s pressure eventually mounted.
A flurry of third quarter goals however opened the game up for the home side, who hit the front toward the end of the term and led by a goal going into the final quarter.
Also not backing down from the fight, TTU were first to flinch kicking two quick goals in the final term to go ahead.
Despite the amount of inside 50s and scoring opportunities created by the Bombers, Woodside also stood tall in defence and were calm and composed, for the most part, when rounding the ball from their defensive 50.
Woodside eventually had one fall its way, and got withing touching distance, but using their momentum, they weren’t able to turn their chances into six points, missing crucial go-ahead opportunities.
However, moving the ball up the ground into a scoring region was where they failed to capitalise, seen from the six behinds kicked in the last quarter.
The final 10 minutes of the game was an absolute frenzy. Going forward, plans appeared to have been thrown out the window. Balls were barrelled forward, bodies flew for marks in attempt for a stoppage, desperation was well and truly on show as TTU held a slender three-point advantage.
Up stepped TTU’s Michael Jacobsen, who produced something out of nothing when he was spotted at half forward all by himself. After taking an uncontested mark, he spun around and nailed a massive goal from 50 to put the Bombers nine points up.
With just minutes remaining, Woodside had to act quick, and effectively. Despite the odds being out of their favour, the ball was in their forward 50 for what seemed like an eternity.
A desperate dump tackle for the Wildcats’ ruckman Chris Witchell gave TTU a defensive free kick with around a minute remaining, and the game looked over until the free kick was sent out on the full.
Trying to act fast, Woodside kicked the ball in and had a set shot from about 35 metres out on a tough angle, but nonetheless, a scoring chance.
Confusion from the umpires voided the kick in, with Woodside having to re-take the kick as the Bombers flooded the 50.
The siren sounded shortly after, confirming that Woodside would’ve run out of time.
Best on for the winners were Hayden Willaton, Trent Hourigan, Josh Segond, Frazar Brouns, Stuart Goddard, and Flynn Shields. The Bombers were well looked after up front, with four majors from Brouns, three from Shields, and two each from Jacobsen and Caleb Michie.
Michael O’Sullivan kicked five goals for Woodside and was also their best. Also mentioned was Cooper Ryan, Thomas King, Joshua Morgan, Witchell, and Luke Johnson.
TTU have the bye this week, as Woodside will gear up to play the Blues at Rosedale.
Glengarry 10.6 (66) drew with Rosedale 9.12 (66)
WHAT on earth?
Glengarry, after leading Rosedale for almost the entire game, were just unable to hold on at the weekend.
Nonetheless, both sides picked up two points after nothing could separate them, drawing 10.6 (66) to 9.12 (66).
Looking at things from the outside in, Glengarry had Rosedale on the backfoot for three quarters at Fred King Oval.
The Magpies were up by two goals at quarter time, then 23 points at halftime in a match where Rosedale were certainly the favourites going in.
The Blues had only missed finals by two games the year previous, while Glengarry were second-last, so some distance sat between the two sides in 2024.
Whether this just appeared to be the early season yips for Rosedale, or Glengarry have seriously improved is yet to be seen, but from the early looks, it could be a mixture of both.
Going from strength to strength, Glengarry looked 30 minutes away from their first win against someone other than Gormandale since Cowwarr in Round 8, 2023.
With a quarter left, the Magpies held a huge six-goal lead, thanks to a four-goal to two third term.
But then, something instantly changed. It wasn’t Rosedale on the back foot, as the visitors came from nowhere.
After 11 scoring shots to none, most might suggest that Rosedale got home with some change, but chances going awry seemingly saved the Magpies a couple of points.
The Blues could only muster 5.6 (36) in the final term, squaring things all up as the final siren sounded, as the two sides shared the points.
Despite the result, it makes for interesting looks into this weekend’s games as Rosedale host reigning premier Woodside, and Glengarry travel down to Yarram.
For the home side, Luke Healy was best on ground, aided well by Ben Truin, Ewan Williams, Jesse Lee, Shae Duncan, and Oscar Bradford.
Over at Rosedale, Riley Atlee was most effective. Also mentioned in the best was Declan Barnett, Harper Fox, Luke Stucky, Jay Diamond, and Hayden Berry.
Heyfield 28.13 (181) def Churchill 4.5 (29)
HEYFIELD stood on business.
The Kangaroos put a depleted Churchill side to the sword, claiming a 28.13 (181) to 4.5 (29) win at Gordon Street Reserve.
Churchill entered the game with many missing from their 2024 squad, which has been well-documented, while Heyfield were perhaps as strong, or even stronger than last season.
The Kangaroos have had one over the Cougars in recent years, and once again made that statement.
Heyfield led by just 27 points into the first break, but things soon got far worse for the travelling Cougars.
A six-goal to one second term more than doubled the quarter time lead, with Heyfield up by 57 points at the main break.
But the inexperienced Churchill side, compared to years of late, didn’t have the legs, as Heyfield ran even further away in the second half.
The Kangaroos kicked 17 goals to two in the second half, going up by 121 points at three quarter time, then finishing 152 points in the green.
Heyfield’s efforts were highlighted by Brayden Woodland, Thomas Marchesi, Kyle Graham (six goals), Robert McMillan, Elijh Berry (two goals), and Miller Eastham (three goals). Coach Leigh Brown kicked seven goals, while Mitchell Bennett also kicked three, as did Finn Stephenson.
Churchill’s senior coach was also their leading goal kicker, as Joseph Whykes led from the front with two majors and was the Cougars’ best. He was joined in the best by former coach Jordan Fenech, Brad Brereton, the returning Calen Hill and Hayden Weir, and Harry van Rossum.
The win puts Heyfield on top of the ladder with a whopping percentage of 624.
The Roos travel to Sale City this weekend, to face the Bulldogs who only played half of a game, while Churchill will play against Cowwarr and will have the help of Tom ‘Prime Train’ Baulch.
Cowwarr 13.9 (87) def by Yarram 16.9 (105)
YARRAM survived a Cowwarr scare.
Meeting at Cowwarr Recreational Reserve, the Demons and Saints did battle, with Yarram coasting clear in the final quarter, 16.9 (105) to 13.9 (87).
Despite the Demons leading at the end of every change, the Saints were only a kick or two behind at all times, also proving that they are no easy beats.
Yarram led by four points at quarter time, doubling their lead during the second quarter to lead by eight at the main break. A straight kick separated the two sides leading into the final term.
The Demons would have had a sigh of relief in the final quarter, finally breaking free of Cowwarr’s shackles, scoring six goals to four to claim the three goal win.
A seven goal effort from Keenan Hughes kept the Saints alive, earning him Cowwarr’s best on ground, alongside Haydn Hector, Brett Grieve, Lachlan Sykes, Brady Hood, and Michael Bloss.
Boadie Motton (two goals) led the way for Yarram as their best. He was joined by Will Brunton, Kayleb Pearce, Joshua Swift (five goals), Liam Bentley, and Matt Clavarino.
Gormandale vs Sale City – Abandoned
THE Gormandale-Sale City fixture at Gormandale Recreation Reserve was unfortunately abandoned due to an injury.
A competitive display was on show before the injury that brought the game to a halt, as Sale City led by 22 points into the first break, following a six-goal to three opening stanza.
Late in the second quarter, as Sale City led 12.6 (78) to 5.1 (31), Gormandale player Nick Millington was involved in a collision during a marking contest, his neck and spine realised as the main concern.
“Due to the time delay to Ambulance, the officials ruled the game to be abandoned,” Gormandale senior coach Shane Duncan said.
Despite initial concerns, Millington had no major issues, revealed later that night.
“After great care from our Gormandale football-netball training staff, paramedics, and LRH, Nick was given the all clear late that evening with no major concerns, but is very battered and sore,” Duncan added.
“Nick’s spirits are high and is keen to get back on the ground.”
Gormandale will want to put their game to test over the course of a full two hours this weekend, when they travel to Yallourn North to face the Jets. While Sale City might still have a little extra in the tank when they host Heyfield.
YALLOURN Yallourn North had the bye.
