FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
By LIAM DURKIN
Moe 18.12 (120) def Sale 17.10 (112)
GAMES of Monopoly usually end with at least one person having a meltdown.
Moe’s coaching staff very nearly had a collective meltdown after the Lions escaped from Sale Oval with the four points.
The visitors used the seasonal get out of jail card, hanging on in a somewhat confusing game 18.12 (120) to 17.10 (112).
Moe’s much vaunted Sale Oval ‘hoodoo’ still refuses to go away, yet the Lions at least won on this occasion, unlike the 19 other times since 2002.
Confusing elements from the game were varied.
The Magpies were second-last on the ladder heading into the match – yet looked like a top-three side for most of the game.
The second-placed Lions meanwhile struggled to beat a team that had no bench after quarter time.
Sale decided there was no point trying to keep Moe to a low score, and flew out of the gates with eight goals to three in the first term.
Using their midfield strength, the home side completely dominated centre clearances.
Such dominance however came at a cost, and arguably summed up the absolute no luck Sale has seemingly had this season.
The Magpies rolled the dice on the fitness of star midfielder Shannen Lange, only for him to do his hamstring in the first quarter.
The bigger blow however came late in the term, when key defender Will Leslie went down.
Leslie, regarded as one of the best defenders in the league, had the match-up on the competition’s leading forward, Ben Crocker.
As Leslie hobbled off (thankfully seen without cruthches in the social rooms post-match), there was an undeniable feeling Crocker would get off the chain, and the mood around the Sale huddle at quarter time indicated as much.
Knowing the Lions would likely become ‘Crocker centric’, the Magpies decided to double team him.
Moe awoke from its slumber in the second term, booting seven goals, although Sale stayed in the contest, so much so scores were dead level at the main break.
There was some talk of the floodgates opening as officials from both camps enjoyed the sandwiches at halftime, yet the Magpies refused to surrender, and a goal to inspirational past captain Jordan Dessent saw the margin at just seven points at the 15-minute mark of the third term.
The Lions were given a lift in more ways than one, with their own former captain Jacob ‘Frank’ Wood taking the second-best hanger of his career.
The energetic veteran (who incidentally named Dessent one of the best players he has played against some years ago), rode high in front of the Past Players Hill, before snapping truly from in front of the behind post.
Kane Cutler did as his name suggests, trimming the margin back to one point at the 17-minute mark, as the Magpies, poignantly, showed the heart of lions.
Scores were level as the clock ticked into red time of the third, although contrasting emotions were clearly evident from both sides.
While the Magpies were playing with confidence, the Lions were displeased at how the game was unfolding.
Even after a goal put them back in front, Moe playing-coach and key forward, Leigh Poholke appeared to be having stern words to his fellow forwards.
The Lions gave away a 50-metre penalty that turned into 100 metres after a runner infringement, yet Moe was let off the hook, just, as the Sale shot on goal hit the post at the 25-minute mark.
Sale’s good work was undone late in the third quarter, with Moe kicking two goals inside as many minutes. The Lions went coast-to-coast and followed with another goal to Wood snapping on the run.
While the game had been high-scoring (Moe had 100 points on the board at three quarter time), both coaches preached defence at the final address.
Magpies coach, Jack Johnstone wanted his players to be “quicker on man-on-man”, while Poholke, taking on more of a teacher role it seemed, drawing diagrams on a whiteboard, said his troops needed to be tighter for longer.
Sale got their tails up at the start of the last, kicking truly to make it an 11-point margin.
Tom Wrigglesworth was put behind the ball in the last term for the Magpies, while ruckman Jack Leslie took matters into his own hands, on a number of occasions grabbing the ball out of the ruck.
His direct opponent certainly had a moment he’d like to take back, after opting to tap rather than grab the ball on the wing.
The result saw the ball wiz down the other end for a Sale goal to Jack McLaren at the 20-minute mark, giving the Magpies a five-point lead.
At that moment I had ‘game, question mark’ written in my notes, while by all accounts, the Moe bench, for want of a better term, absolutely lost it.
Tom Campbell had earlier given Sale a huge look at victory after flushing a set shot in front of the Past Players Hill, and set up another after nearly making a meal of a forward 50 entry at the 15-minute mark.
With the threat of a long trip back to the Mornington Peninsula real, Poholke stepped up to take a strong contested grab.
While there has been a school of thought the Lions are actually a better team when Poholke doesn’t play, he stepped up when he needed to at the weekend, kicking a clutch goal to level scores 112 apiece.
The pressure now was palpable, so much so a host of players slipped over and missed handballs, while a crucial non-deliberate out of bounds prevented Sale taking the ball along the coaches box wing.
Scores remained level at the 25-minute mark, and a draw looked very much on the cards.
A draw would have just about summed up Sale’s year.
The Magpies have maintained they are not a bottom-three side, and this game certainly showed it.
A snap out of congestion from Moe small forward Jacob Balfour gave Moe the lead at the 27-minute mark, yet Sale just kept coming.
The Magpies’ effort was personified by an insane rundown tackle from Harry Ronchi on Nathan Scagliarini that prevented a certain Moe inside 50. Ronchi was almost unable to take his kick due to cramp, such was the desperation he’d put into the tackle.
Balfour kicked another behind with 30 seconds left, which saw Moe then employ a high press and bring all their numbers virtually inside 50.
The final margin therefore was really only two points, as Crocker kicked a goal after the siren to make it seven for the day.
For Balfour, while it wasn’t exactly the winning goal, he had kicked a behind late in the two-point loss to Leongatha three weeks ago. His two late behinds that enabled a Moe win here was perhaps some recompense.
Scagliarini was best for the winners, followed by Nick Prowse, Alex Dijkstra, Crocker, Brock Smith and Trent Baldi.
Smith was called out by Poholke at three quarter time for playing a “hell of a game”, while Baldi put in a game-saving tackle of his own during the last play.
Sale’s great start perhaps allowed them to stay in the game for so long, although that should not discredit anything the Magpies did for the next three quarters.
They are known as the ‘Mighty Magpies’, and they were every bit that and more at the weekend.
Wrigglesworth was best on, and found strong support from McLaren (three goals), Cooper Whitehill, Ronchi, Dessent (four goals) and Campbell.
Sale Oval meanwhile is set to host this year’s preliminary final – something Moe will need to keep in mind.
Most footballers are superstitious, former Moe player Tom Long for instance was adamant every Thursday training session had to end with a kicking drill, and if there is in fact a hoodoo at Sale Oval, the Lions will want to either avoid it by winning the second semi-final, or overcome it completely.
A Moe versus Traralgon prelim is a possibility, and would just about break a gate record.
The Lions contingent packed Sale establishment Sporting Legends last Saturday night, with an estimated 80 people from the club sharing a sit down meal.
That unity continued into Sunday, as conversations and drinks flowed freely for Moe Football-Netball Club’s annual fundraiser at Moe Racing Club.
It’s amazing how clear the world can seem when vision is so blurry.
Morwell 21.14 (140) def Maffra 10.7 (67)
DO as I say and as I do.
Morwell playing-coach Boyd Bailey said ‘watch and learn’ at the weekend, putting together just about the most complete game imaginable in Round 15 of the Gippsland League.
The midfielder had 30 touches and booted seven goals (and could have honestly finished with 10) in what was truly one of the most astonishing individual performances seen in recent seasons.
More importantly, his effort helped Morwell to a crucial win over Maffra, 21.14 (140) to 10.7 (67) at home.
The result keeps the Tigers on track to take the last available spot in finals, and they will battle Wonthaggi for the right to play in September over the last three rounds of the regular season.
Ever gracious, Bailey said it was “just one of those days the ball fell my way” in setting a new personal best.
It is believed to be the best goal kicking effort from a midfielder since Daniel Risol kicked the same amount playing for Moe in 2017 (ironically, also against Maffra).
Any signs of a day out for Bailey were relatively subdued in the first term, as both sides enjoyed periods of dominance and the lead changed four times.
The Eagles, looking resplendent in their new predominantly red clash strip (certainly an upgrade from the grey arrangement) scored consecutive goals to take a seven point lead at the seven minute mark, following a perfectly weighted pass from Will Burgiel that allowed Noah Christy to take the ball without breaking stride.
Christy had the opportunity to further Maffra’s lead after the quarter time siren, only for his snapped set shot to sail across the face and out of bounds.
The Eagles also scored through Brayden Monk, after being awarded a 50 metre penalty for late contact.
Morwell opened its account with a great running goal from Josh Galea, who got out the back and took two bounces at the croquet club end.
“A checkside on the run? Interesting choice, but it worked out,” TRFM’s Darryl Couling quipped on commentary.
Some calculated play from Cody Macdonald saw the Tigers level the scores on the approach to quarter time, after his intentional outside of the boot pass inside 50 landed in the hands of Sam Walsh.
Maffra stayed in the contest up until the 12 minute mark of the second quarter, before Morwell, seemingly out of nowhere, booted four goals in five minutes to break the game open.
The wind reportedly picked up in the second term, favouring the Princes Highway end, although the breeze was not the lone factor in Morwell’s dominance.
Instead, the Tigers were able to get their running game going, chaining a number of handballs between the arcs and making the most of their chances inside 50.
Conversely, the Eagles wasted their limited opportunities.
Christy followed his quarter time set shot with a long range kick to start the second quarter, but the ball fell short.
On another occasion, a Maffra player nabbed a blindsided Morwell defender holding the ball, only for the next kick to go straight to a yellow and black jumper.
Poor Daniel Bedggood wasn’t having much luck either. The Eagles’ games record holder copped a high fend off in the first quarter, and then had what appeared to be a strong contested mark inside defensive 50 not paid in the second.
His frustration boiled over the further the game went, to the point where he gave away a 50 metre penalty and goal in the final quarter.
He was however involved in a good act of sportsmanship after flying for a mark alongside
Morwell’s Max Linton. Both men appeared to check in on each other after falling to the ground after the ball went out of bounds near the interchange gates.
The Eagles took until the 23 minute mark to break a run of four unanswered Morwell goals in the second quarter.
Experience combined between Luke Dyer and Alex Carr led to the latter cutting the margin back to 25 points, which was reduced to 19 not long after when Christy was walked to the goal line following a downfield free kick.
The other end however was where all the action was.
Morwell favourite Tyler Hillier used his football IQ to score, after staying down in a marking contest as two Maffra players competed for the same ball aerially in the square.
Bailey and Eagles veteran Dylan Alexander mustn’t have seen eye-to-eye on a number of world issues, engaging in a decent wrestle underneath the scoreboard.
Bailey had the last laugh, snapping truly for his second thanks to some deft touch from ruckman Isaac Abbas tapping the ball behind him from a boundary throw in.
With seven goals to two for the quarter, the home side would have gone into the sheds with much to be pleased about – not least the fact there was five different goal kickers for the term alone.
Maffra enjoyed a dream start in the third quarter, with Christy kicking truly to make it three of the last four to the visitors favour.
He kicked his fourth some time later, after taking advantage to cap off a great end-to-end play that started with Bedggood in defence.
By the 13 minute mark, the margin was just 15 points, and some concern for Morwell, who were getting dominated in clearances (eight to one).
The Tigers however wrestled things back, and broke a run of four consecutive behinds with consecutive goals either side of red time, the first coming from some ill-discipline on Maffra’s part resulting in a 50 metre penalty.
Morwell steadied, and had 10 individual goal scorers on the board by three quarter time.
Bailey gave his side a boost with a set shot after the siren, finishing off some good work by Macdonald out wide, who found Burkeley Macfarlane at centre half forward.
For Maffra, it was again the last kick that became their undoing. The Eagles sent two balls out on the full – one coming after a dropped chest mark – and missed another gettable shot from close range.
The Tigers put to rest any hopes of an unlikely Eagles final quarter surge, getting on the scoreboard inside the first two minutes courtesy of an opportunistic snap from Cohen Campbell.
Morwell led by 10 goals at the 10 minute mark, and ended up equalling their second term effort with seven goals to finish.
Three of those came from the boot of Bailey, including a roost from the paintwork and a snap from a boundary throw in for his seventh.
Maffra scored a couple of consolation goals, while skipper Danny Butcher showed what leadership is all about, going back with the flight to take a courageous mark at centre half back when the game was well and truly over.
The tough-as-nails midfielder also showed a great deal of persistence, after struggling to get near the ball in the first quarter, and still ended the match with 10 clearances.
You can always have an impact.
The review may end up being a strange exercise for the Eagles’ coaching staff. Although Maffra lost by 73 points, they were actually right in the game up until midway through the third term, trailing by less than three goals.
A combination of inexperience and finishing quality arguably hurt the Eagles the most. That and the Morwell playing-coach playing the game of his life.
Despite being a clear best-on-ground, Bailey would have undoubtedly been most satisfied with the manner in which his team scored, not to mention the spread of goal kickers.
That manner saw the Tigers methodically dismantle Maffra in the space of 15 minutes, taking the game from ‘in the balance’ to ‘beyond all reasonable doubt’ by three quarter time.
Others to play well for Morwell were Tom Caile, Aidan Quigley, Stephen Mills, Zac Anderson and Macfarlane. Springboard defender Harri McColl was perhaps stiff not to be named in the top six.
Will Burgiel, Alex Carr, Christy (four goals), Jett Killoran, Thomas Scott and James Read put in honest stints for the Eagles.
The Tigers travel down the road to take on second-placed Moe this weekend.
Morwell can just about sew up a finals position with victory if Wonthaggi’s results go as predicted.
The Power are a game clear in fifth, but play the top three sides in the last three rounds (Traralgon, Leongatha, Moe).
Just how costly will that loss to Drouin be for Wonthaggi?
Not that he worries too much about individual accolades, but Bailey could just about secure Coach of the Year honours this weekend as well.
Bailey, (this year’s 18s interleague coach), has beaten Leongatha and Traralgon this season, and has a chance to complete the top-three trifecta.
Maffra meanwhile will look to see out the season with at least one more win.
The Eagles face a tough run home with games against Leongatha (first) and Warragul (fourth), but should salute against Drouin in between these two assignments.
Some interest may surround the margins in these games, and whether or not supposed internal rumblings at Maffra leads to any on field distractions.
It is understood such rumblings have stemmed from (of all things), last year’s C Grade netball Grand Final and the non-selection of a player with a very familiar Maffra surname.
While outsiders might not see C Grade as something to get too worked up about, as someone who is secretary of a local cricket club, believe me when I say people do.
To them, they are playing Test cricket every Saturday.
Traralgon 30.12 (192) def Drouin 1.4 (10)
TRARALGON didn’t need to win by that much – they had to.
The Maroons annihilated Drouin by 182 points, 30.12 (192) to 1.4 (10) at Terry Hunter Oval.
While some might question what a team can gain from a win of such a margin, a quick look through the history books will show the best footy sides are also the one who are the absolute most ruthless.
Of the last three AFL dynasties, there are clear examples of teams beating up on opponents late in the season.
Geelong smoked Melbourne by 186 points in Round 19, 2011; Hawthorn by 165 against Port Adelaide in Round 21 the same year, and Richmond by 104 against Fremantle two weeks before the 2017 finals (very enjoyable September that).
The Maroons kept the scoreboard operator busy, piling on 14 goals in the first half alone.
Jackson McMahon took his season tally to 38 with a bag of 10. The Traralgon playing-assistant has been a revelation after moving to the forward line seven games ago, kicking 33 goals in that time.
Fellow playing-assistant, Dylan Loprese helped himself to five, as a dozen players wearing Maroon jumpers got on the scoreboard.
Jordan Cunico was also productive, along with Matt Northe (three goals), Luis D’Angelo, Connor Ambler and Jacob Cunico.
Traralgon’s total was the fifth-highest in league history for Round 15, and the greatest winning margin.
Caleb Kleevan, Zach McMillan, Max Williams, Kye Quirk, Ben Brasier and Zayne Atkins did their upmost for Drouin.
The end is in sight for the Hawks, who have just three rounds to go in their unenviable season playing away from home every week.
Perhaps more specifically, Drouin can break it down to just six hours of footy and six training sessions left.
Leongatha 7.11 (53) def Warragul 7.5 (47)
IN other games, Leongatha’s system stood up again, and enabled the Parrots to win 7.11 (53) to 7.5 (47) over Warragul.
The ladder-leaders aren’t exactly playing the most exciting style of football at present, but it is certainly proving effective.
Aaron Heppell was best in the home win, followed by Patrick Ireland, Hayden Lindsay, Jack Hume, Ben Willis and Ben Harding.
Leongatha still has key players Tom Marriott and Cade Maskell to come back in, yet there would have to be some question marks about just how they will go on return given their lengthy layoffs.
Tom Hobbs, Sam Whibley, Isaac Wallace, Lucas Carter, Riley Senini and Xavier Olsson were best for Warragul, who hold fourth spot and should still play finals.
Given the right conditions, the Gulls could certainly be a smoky come September.
Warragul didn’t show all their cards at the weekend either, with VFL player Will Hayes at least one notable out.
Wonthaggi 11.19 (85) def 5.8 (38)
WONTHAGGI is not done with just yet.
The Power overcame the biggest road trip in country Victoria to defeat Bairnsdale 11.19 (85) to 5.8 (38).
Just 10 points separated the sides at the final change, before Wonthaggi charged home with 5.8 (38) to 0.1 (1) in the last quarter.
Ryan Sparkes played a solid game for the well-travelled visitors, as did Jai Williams, Jaxon Williams, Josh Bates, Isaac Chugg and Kaj Patterson.
Will Mitchell, Lachlan Cloak, Ricky Tatnell, Jamie Dore, Cooper Harvey and Tate Clay collected votes for the Redlegs.
The Power are fifth but might not win another game for the rest of the season given they play the top three sides.
A finals miss would certainly fall well short of preseason expectations for Wonthaggi, although the form of some of the Powers top players has been inexplicable to say the least.
Chugg, generally regarded as one of the best players in the competition, has been in the best just three times this season.
