FOOTBALL
NORTH GIPPSLAND
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
THE separation between the best and the rest gets slimmer.
Following results in Round 9 of the North Gippsland Football-Netball League, we may be in for a repeat of the last two seasons.
Traralgon Tyers United and Woodside continue to impress with little competition when facing those below, leaving many pondering if we are set for a third consecutive Grand Final outing between the two.
TTU 15.25 (115) def Heyfield 6.6 (42)
WHAM, bam!
TTU held firm as the best team thus far this season after smacking rival contenders Heyfield at Tyers Recreation Reserve, 15.25 (115) to 6.6 (42).
Bar the Grand Final rematch that launched the 2025 North Gippsland season, many eyed this as the match of the year to date, with both teams within the top three on the ladder, dominating all other teams (besides Woodside).
Considering the Kangaroos dropped their previous match to the Wildcats at home, which created a gap between the two previous premiers and the rest, all heading to Tyers would have assumed a response from the young, up-and-comers.
Heyfield, working against an intense TTU unit on their home deck, managed the first two goals of the game between the pair of veterans, coach Leigh Brown and Mitch Bennett to jumpstart their day.
After a highly pressurised start from the Kangaroos, the Bombers finally nailed their first major of the day 10 minutes in, which for all intents and purposes flipped how the beginning of the game played out.
TTU’s intensity lifted clearly after they held up Heyfield deep in the Bombers’ own forward pocket, before Patrick Moio jumped and smothered an exit kick, giving off quickly to Riley Denovan who snapped his first.
The home side booted the remaining goal of the opening stanza from Flynn Shields to lead by 11 points, which would be the closest Heyfield would get for the rest of the day. TTU rained on seven straight goals to halftime, completely reversing fortunes.
Setting up well behind the play, the likes of coach Jack Brown and Frazar Brouns when further up the field, every time the Bombers failed in converting inside 50, the ball almost instantly bounced back into the forwards’ delight.
Being shut out in the second term, scoring just three points, Heyfield players kept quiet with their heads down after an abysmal return following a week off, knowing what was to be delivered from their coach.
As play returned, the ball swung back-and-forth between each side, but Heyfield did nail the first punch of the second half from a Nick Dinsdale goal, bringing the margin to 30 points.
The game continued to be equalled in the contest through the first 10 minutes of the latter half, but after an undisciplined 50 metre penalty against the Kangaroos, TTU’s Regan Richards made them pay in front.
While Heyfield did kick three of the last four goals of the third, a 35-point comeback seemed miraculous if it happened, considering the conditions, the venue, and the experienced side they were coming up against.
Due to this, the Bombers gave their opponent zero inch, again limiting the Kangaroos goalless, while they themselves booted five majors to the finish line.
It’s difficult to find where TTU drop, starting off the season with an 8-0 win/loss record and holding top spot on the ladder, it’s beginning to feel like a repeat of the last two seasons (and for their sake, that they don’t fall short on the last day in September).
Brouns was unmatched as the best afield for the winners with four goals, followed by Oscar Aliotta, Shields, Trent Hourigan, Stuart Goddard, and Guy Sinclair in his 200th game.
The Kangaroos named Max Van Der Zwart, Dinsdale, Miller Eastham, Marcus Sundermann, Will Kelly and Kail Hole as their best.
While Heyfield were absent the goal scoring of Darren Sheen, the Kangaroos will focus on shaking off their slump when they face potential finalist Rosedale at home.
YYN 16.5 (101) def Yarram 12.15 (87)
A WAVE of highs and lows.
At Yarram Recreation Reserve, where the Demons hosted Yallourn Yallourn North, it appeared as though at any point that either side could capture the points on the day.
In the end, the Jets held on by 14 points – 16.5 (101) to 12.15 (87).
It’s not been the season Yarram would hope for, only managing marginally against teams they should beat, while being comfortably taken by everyone else.
YYN has rode a fierce, ever-changing wave this season, and after losing back-to-back games against TTU and Woodside, responded by holding off Rosedale at home by just four points before entering the league bye.
The Jets knew that travelling to Yarram was never going to be easy, but they put their foot down to set themselves up early with the first three goals of the match.
While YYN returned reinforcements the likes of key defenders Darcy Shellcot and Campbell MacInnes, restoring the Jets once premiership back six, Yarram still displayed moments where they were simply too much, through key forwards Josh Swift and Daniel Vardy.
The Demons kept within striking distance of 15 points after quarter time, and then practically went goal-for-goal with the Jets as play returned through to halftime, with the scoreboard reading 8.3 (50) to 5.11 (41) in favour of the visitor’s.
Knowing they required that little bit more to see further separation and thus the game, the Jets poured it on in during the third quarter with five goals to one, with everyone chipping in, as they appeared to be riding home to get their season back on track.
Unlikely heroes such as MacInnes worked hard from defence to nail one for the Jets, and Owen Budge booted two, much to the delight and amazement of travelling supporters.
Now they just had to handle business for one more term.
The Jets booted the opening goal of the final quarter, and responded even as Yarram began to gain with their own scoring – only then it began to drastically shift, almost instantly.
The Demons smacked on the last four goals to give themselves a shot at winning somehow, but due to some early workings from YYN, they hung on simply due to time being in their favour.
MacInnes in his return was applauded with best-on-ground, followed by Jai Massese, Shellcot, Rowan Duguid, Dylan Bath and Josh keyhoe with a game-high four goals.
The Jets hold firm onto fourth-place on the ladder, with more matches ahead against the sides above them.
Thomas Mattern, Dylan Garnham, Kiefer Sutherland, Cody Harrison, Vardy and Shem Rendell in his 250th senior game were the best for Yarram.
Woodside 24.9 (153) def Cowwarr 5.7 (37)
TOO big, too strong.
Woodside were never fussed against Cowwarr at Woodside Recreation Reserve, winning easily 24.9 (153) to 5.7 (37).
The Saints may have given themselves a flicker of hope despite travelling into the reigning premier’s den, after they produced their biggest winning margin in more than two years the round before – a 101-point victory over Glengarry.
The Wildcats however have done everything right since falling to TTU in Round 1, coming in having won seven straight.
All the manpower necessary, Woodside delivered in the opening quarter, booting eight straight majors to Cowwarr’s 2.1 (13).
While the Wildcats ‘only’ added three extra goals until halftime, that already had the margin sitting at almost 50 points.
Woodside were even better, score-wise, once they returned after the main break, booting 13 goals to a pair of majors all the way through to the final siren.
The Wildcats featured six multiple goal scorers in their 116-point annihilation of the Saints.
Zac Richards was man of the match with seven goals, followed by Ethan Stephens, Brody Stainer, Ashton Janssen, Jeremy and Josh Morgan.
Cowwarr had Patrick Tainsh, Lachlan Sykes, Ben Coffey, Haydn Hector, Keenan Hughes and Lee Bourke perform well in defeat.
Rosedale 15.14 (104) def Gormandale 2.5 (17)
NO timewasting from the Blues.
Rosedale keep themselves above the clump and in fifth position after eight games with a 87-point win over Gormandale.
At Rosedale Recreation Reserve, the Blues meant business as they sought to respond from a heart-breaking four-point loss to YYN away before the break.
The Tigers kept relatively close after the first term, trailing by 19 points, only for Rosedale to bang on five unanswered goals to halftime and lead by 52.
The Blues ticked over in the second half with a further six goals, but Gormandale couldn’t mount any scoreboard pressure to stage a comeback.
With an eight-goal bag, Spencer Fox was best afield for the winners, followed by Declan Barnett, Blake Safstrom, Jay Diamond, Oscar Smith and Liam Burgan.
Malachi Dillon, Riley Hughes, Cooper Jefferies, Liam Deering, Chris Potalej and Campbell Peavey made up the Tigers’ best players.
Sale City 18.18 (126) def Churchill 9.6 (60)
MAKING it two on the trot, Sale City managed Churchill comfortably by 66 points.
At Gaskin Park, the Bulldogs kept themselves in the race for back-to-back finals appearances with a last half blitz of the Cougars, to win 18.18 (126) to 9.6 (60).
After already positioning quite comfortably through the first two quarters by 25 points, Sale City added 11 goals in the second half to blow the margin out of the water and hand Churchill their seventh loss for the year.
Kaden McCulloch finished with a game-high four goals for best-on-ground for the Bulldogs, followed by Hudson Tollner, Jacob Schuback, Daine McGuiness, Jaxsyn Whitehill and Tom Bowman.
Joe Whykes (three goals), Sam Robinson, Brad Brereton, Nick Twomey, Calen Hill and Billy Wight were admirable in defeat for the Cougars.
GLENGARRY had the bye.
