FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT and LIAM DURKIN
WHO wants to play finals?
It’s a rhetorical question, but just one look at the Gippsland League ladder after Round 8 paints a very clear picture.
Amazingly, there are five teams all on the same number of points.
Even more remarkably, the team coming second-last is equal to the team in the top five.
With a sizable gap between fourth and fifth, the race to secure the last available spot in finals could take place over nine rounds, after the first half of the season wraps up this weekend.
This might be the second time Gippsland sees a lengthy process used to reach an outcome this year.
Moe 17.13 (115) def Warragul 12.10 (82)
THE Big Freeze came early on all fronts at Ted Summerton Reserve at the weekend.
Not only with all the brilliant festivities on display to rally around such a great cause, but the chilled winter wind also arrived and a great contest looked to be on display (at least for patches).
Moe retained top spot in the Gippsland League after Round 8 with a 17.13 (115) to 12.10 (82) handling of Warragul – but it wasn’t without its challenges.
While hands were shook from both sets of players, a fierce opening quarter got underway, with the Gulls looking to dirty up the game the best they could and get under the skin of the league’s best side through seven rounds of footy.
That would all come, but throughout a majority of the first stanza, Warragul was simply outworking and out-pressuring the favoured Lions.
Winning the ball out the centre bounce at every go gave the Gulls first hit, with Lucas Carter taking a clean grab in striking distance off a rebound 50.
Despite an early spring from the visiting side, the Lions gained plenty of the ball in their attacking end, but were unable to come up with significant score.
Warragul then worked against Moe’s momentum to gain another through Kai MacLean, which gave thought to those watching that this would be more of a match than previously expected. Such thoughts were only heightened after another Gulls goal shortly after extended the lead to 17 points.
For the third time this season, the Lions brought in their young guns from Gippsland Power (on bye due to the Under 18 Championships), which added flair and speed but were also put in difficult situations, much like most of their teammates, due to the Gulls’ pressure.
Moe found time to recoup before quarter time with two of the last three goals, matching Warragul around the contest, but were still lucky not to concede even more with some questionable inboard kicks.
That played a part in another one of first-year coach Leigh Poholke’s now vintage sprays delivered to the Moe group, who seemed to be playing down to the competition and the occasion, trailing by four points after half-an-hour.
The Lions, almost like trained assassins, arrived at their positions well before Warragul had left their huddle, knowing that plenty was still to play out.
They would lose one early however, as young Jordan Shields left the field with an apparent shoulder injury after finding himself underneath a tackle, leaving the Lions one short the rest of the day.
Moe found time shortly after to gracefully pass the ball through a number of players, and just as midfielder Trent Baldi was about to deliver inside forward 50, was cleaned up, resulting in a downfield free kick into Harry Pepper’s hands.
While not converting that time, the passage showed equally just how difficult Moe can be to defend with the ball in-hand when they are on their ‘A Game’, as well as how Warragul wished to assert their physicality the rest of the way.
A few minutes later, Pepper produced what was quite simple, but also brilliant, electing to lower his eyes to find Justin Morrow closer to home instead of spraying away from the 50-metre line – giving Moe their first lead and showed the importance of remaining team-first.
The Lions looked to be on now, and fortunes seemed to be switching when Ben Daniher came back with the flight to take a mark and come around the corner for another Moe goal on what was a special day for his family.
The pressure that Warragul utilised in the first quarter had quickly been subverted, as Moe scored another major (their third straight for the term).
Despite the Gulls being the ones who wanted to be pests on the day and take their opponent’s minds off the game, Warragul was given a free kick centre of field, yet Baldi smartly held up the ball and Tom Hillard went to retrieve for his teammate, clearly annoyed by Baldi’s antics, a subsequent push reversed the free.
Moments later, Morrow snapped truly and beautifully to give the Lions a 20-point lead.
Warragul finally responded off a nice Keenan Boi tight angle snap, however his side was still facing a four-goal deficit heading into halftime.
Needing to negate the Lions attack inside 50, the Gulls again sent a spare behind the ball as Moe controlled possession as play returned.
The Nathan Scagliarini show arrived for the Lions with back-to-back long-range bombs that sent the home crowd ablaze in front of the China Rowlings Can Bar, and pushed the margin to 38 points, looking as though they’d be too much to overcome now.
Even when Warragul found time with hands or by foot, Moe’s key backs the likes of Tom Blackshaw and Nick Prowse cleaned up every opportunity the Gulls thought they had.
While the opening to the second half produced 10 goals, six went to Moe, showing the desire and experience (or simply talent) to overcome an early blip.
Even when Warragul mounted consistent goals in the last quarter, the Lions had the tools to respond quickly, and nipped any chance of a late and dramatic comeback happening.
Moe kept their distance, over 30 points the rest of the way home for their seventh win from eight games played.
Scagliarini was at his best in the second half but active all day to collect best-on-ground, while Scott Van Dyk, Blackshaw, Pepper, Myles Poholke and Daniher stood out in a loaded list of performances.
Sean Masterson, Sam Whibley, Riley Senini, Isaac Wallace, Patrick Mulqueen, and Tom Hobbs were valiant in defeat for Warragul.
Sale 13.10 (88) def Morwell 12.7 (79)
STILL not sure about Morwell.
If you are only averaging 55 points over five weeks, it leaves the door open for any team to win.
Sale walked through that door and walked back out with victory on their home turf, after defeating the Tigers 13.10 (88) to 12.7 (79).
The result carried vastly different reactions in the immediate aftermath.
For Sale, the pulse of season 2025 remains ever so alive. For Morwell, alarm bells are surely ringing.
The Tigers hold fifth spot but only by percentage, and with just one win since Round 2, it is looming as another unfortunate season of ‘if only’.
Morwell started brightly enough at Sale Oval, kicking four goals to two in the opening term, before the Magpies hit back with four of their own.
Both sides traded goals in the third, and it was more of the same in the last, yet Sale found itself ahead by nine points when the final siren sounded to give Jarrod Freeman a win for game number 150.
Freeman played a crucial part, kicking two goals, while Shannen Lange did Shannen Lange things, kicking three in yet another best-on-ground display.
Former club captain Jordan Dessent kicked just as many, and was helped by Josh Butcher, Cooper Whitehill, Harry Tatterson (available due to a Gippsland Power bye) and Tom Wrigglesworth.
Josh Galea did his best to emulate Lange’s effort, kicking three goals for Morwell.
Harri McColl also played well, as did Aidan Quigley, Anthony Rosato, Zac Anderson in his 150th senior game, and Cody Macdonald.
On a disappointing day for the Tigers, there was at least one positive, with youngster Josh Seymour making his senior debut.
Traralgon 13.8 (86) def Bairnsdale 11.6 (72)
TRARALGON left Bairnsdale with all they desired.
The Maroons survived a scare at a venue that is traditionally hard to take points from, getting up 13.8 (86) to 11.6 (72).
Just three points separated combatants at the final change of ends, before the visitors kicked five goals to three to ensure victory.
Jackson McMahon had a say in the result, nailing three majors, and was one of nine individual goal kickers for Traralgon.
Usual suspect Tye Hourigan was best in the win, while Jordan Cunico, Luis D’Angelo, Tristen Waack and Hugh Dunbar also played well.
Sam Hallyburton was a notable out for the Maroons, off enjoying the European summer. Hallyburton got a game in for North Gippsland club Cowwarr when Traralgon had a bye for the split round a fortnight ago.
Ethan East was best for Bairnsdale, and remains arguably the Redlegs most important player.
Should the big man go down, it might just signal the end of Bairnsdale’s finals chances.
The Redlegs are among the cluster of five teams on 12 points trying to take fifth spot, while the Maroons’ victory at the weekend ensures there remains a two-game gap in fourth.
Jobe Froud, Jamie Dore, Cooper Harvey, Lachlan Byrne-Jones and Will Mitchell rounded out the best for Bairnsdale.
Maffra 13.12 (90) def Drouin 8.6 (54)
MAFFRA and their names.
Butcher, Pleming, Robbins and Burgiel but to name a few.
The Eagles welcomed a more than handy inclusion at the weekend, slotting former West Coast player Coby Burgiel in for a game.
The son of Maffra champion and Hawthorn player, Hayden, Coby was back home for the long weekend, and played a starring role in the Eagles’ 13.12 (90) to 8.6 (54) win over Drouin.
Taking to Trafalgar Recreation Reserve, which must have felt a literal world away from Perth’s Optus Stadium, Burgiel saw his home club break away from a determined Hawks outfit searching for its first win.
Just 17 points was the difference heading into the last, yet five goals to two meant Maffra drove east with a third win for the season.
Jett Killoran was productive, along with Eagles senior games record holder Daniel Bedggood, Max Stobie, Danny Butcher and Alex Carr.
The Quirk boys, Kye, Aden and Caleb fought well for Doruin, as did Will Brewer, Denver Lund and Max Williames.
Burgiel has been playing for West Perth in the WAFL, and had a break in his schedule.
Ever elusive in providing too much club information; when asked if his appearance was a one off or a sign of things to come, all one Maffra official offered to this masthead was “you never know”.
Leongatha 17.10 (112) def Wonthaggi 6.4 (40)
SOMETHING everyone does know is that Dyson Heppell is very good at football, but surely even he isn’t making 70 points difference.
Everything went to plan for Leongatha, as the club welcomed its favoured son back for the South Gippsland Showdown against Wonthaggi.
While the match between two top-three sides was expected to be a sizzler, it quickly turned into a fizzer.
The Parrots rarely faltered after quarter time, and won convincingly, 17.10 (112) to 6.4 (40).
Convincing was the margin, and ominous for Moe and Traralgon, the two teams likely to be fighting Leongatha for the premiership.
After playing in every Grand Final across the last decade, the Parrots started this season in somewhat underwhelming fashion, leading conventional wisdom to determine Leongatha was done.
After a performance like this however, the warning shot could not have been any louder.
Heppell, playing his first game at Parrot Park since juniors, was listed in the best, alongside brother Aaron and fellow Leongatha veterans Luke Bowman and Ben Willis. Tallin Brill and Ben Harding also contributed.
Reeve Moresco, Noah Anderson, Kyle Reid, coach Jarryd Blair, Cooper McInnes and Ethan Dickison battled hard for the Power in club favourite and the man dubbed “one of the club’s greatest backmen”, Shannon Bray’s 150th game.
Wonthaggi’s loss may be attributed to battle fatigue from a gutsy five-point win over Traralgon last round, in which they lost key defender Fergus O’Connor and Jakeb Thomas to a suspected broken leg.
Blair will be hoping the weekend’s performance was an aberration, although he may still have some lingering doubts over whether a six-win, two-loss record is an accurate reflection of where his team sits.
Drouin aside, Wonthaggi has struggled to really put any opponents away, while it appears midfielder Ryan Sparkes is carrying a huge workload.
By contrast, former Collingwood player Isaac Chugg (generally regarded as one of the leading players in the competition) has been named in the best just once this season.
