FOOTBALL
NORTH GIPPSLAND
By BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
UPON results in Round 17, it appears as though North Gippsland will still see plenty of attention as sides tussling for finals spots and placements on the ladder continue to go down to the wire.
At the weekend, it was never about large margins, but all about getting through a necessary period which will either set up a team’s finals run or build themselves into the last round and into next year.
Woodside 9.12 (66) def YYN 8.7 (55)
WOODSIDE doing Woodside things.
Despite the effort of a motivated Yallourn Yallourn North outfit, the Wildcats couldn’t be held down for too long a period, ultimately coming out on top, 9.12 (66) to 8.7 (55) at Woodside Recreation Reserve.
Each side had a drive for a strong performance in the penultimate round, with Woodside holding firm alongside Heyfield and just behind Traralgon Tyers United, while YYN are fighting against Rosedale and Sale City for one of the final two spots in the top five.
Conditions couldn’t have been better and Woodside’s Josh Morgan released the scoring valve with a snap from north of 30 metres dead in front, as the Wildcats dominated the forward 50 entries with eight scoring shots to three.
The Jets still managed to start off with some momentum as Dylan Brooks and YYN playing-coach Dean MacDonald produced back-to-back goals to see them in front early.
After a few misses for the Wildcats, YYN appeared to be out, but a marking infringement free kick saw Brody Stainer given his first just 15 metres out and then a 50-metre penalty gave another for Woodside past the 30-minute mark.
The home ground advantage played out in the opening stand, as the Wildcats opened up by 10 points at quarter time.
Despite Woodside breaking free slightly, the contest was still a battle and that continued into the second term.
The Wildcats did nail the first punch of the quarter through a 40-metre live play goal from Joh Fythe and then instantly got another from Matt Dyke.
With the margin ballooned out to 22 points early, YYN responded through a great grab and an equally beautiful finish deep in the pocket from Dylan Keyhoe.
A few more opportunities in the Jets’ forward line increased the pressure on Woodside, and YYN pressed as a costly turnover from the Wildcats in their defensive 50 handed the ball to MacDonald who played on and goaled checkside from the opposite angle.
Another Jets major came shortly after through MacDonald again, who through the first 40 minutes of the game had three goals already.
Back to a three-point margin, the Jets hit the front through Barrie Burnett, giving added confidence to YYN, who reversed their fortunes in very quick time.
Woodside found Stainer late in the first half, goaling to give the Wildcats a 6.6 (42) to 6.3 (39) lead at the main break.
Both sides were running and gunning as play resumed, only as the defences tightened and scoring wasn’t coming, each began to slow down possession when they could.
Such was the intensity either way that no major score was seen through the first 19 minutes of the third quarter, before Stainer got out in front of YYN’s Owen Budge for the first of the last half.
Only two goals were kicked in the third term, with MacDonald getting another for the Jets, working through four opponents to snap truly closer to home.
As the final quarter arrived with the Wildcats ahead by four points, any minute detail could see clear differences and serious ramifications.
Within two minutes, YYN’s Blake Dyson ran through a contest and let out a fine checkside to give the Jets the lead.
A few opportunities presented themselves for YYN shortly after that, but Woodside managed to pinch one back through who else but Stainer for his fourth goal.
Just before the Wildcats took back the lead, veteran Michael Stockdale opened up as a spare, sitting in between MacDonald down deep and the rest of the Jets forwards, which created headaches for the visitors.
Matt Dyke arrived for his second, as Woodside went ahead by seven points.
While the Wildcats had plenty more behinds before the final siren rang, YYN had their chances, but ultimately, their entries worked to no avail.
Dyke earnt a best-on-ground after a brilliant last quarter for Woodside, followed by Adam Janssen, Morgan, Rowan Missen, Stainer and Ashton Janssen.
Dylan Bath, Rowan Duguid, Campbell MacInnes, Darcy Shellcot, Hayden Mowat and Jai Massese played well for YYN.
The Jets now potentially enter a do-or-die showdown against TTU at home (George Bates Reserve) to clinch a finals berth.
Heyfield 11.13 (79) def Cowwarr 10.5 (65)
AVOIDING a late scare, Heyfield welcomed the win.
Cowwarr produced a surprise performance against one of the best sides of 2025, but the Kangaroos ultimately ended up on top, 11.13 (79) to 10.5 (65) at Gordon Street Reserve.
A goalfest, especially in the first quarter, had both sides up for the day with nine goals in the opening stand.
While Heyfield began with three of the first four majors going their way, the Saints replied (or should I say Keenan Hughes) with three of the next five.
Cowwarr’s Hughes trailed the Kangaroos, 5.5 (35) to four goals straight at quarter time.
Other Saints began to support their star player, with Ben Coffey and Haydn Hector getting on the scoreboard, as Cowwarr brought the margin within a goal throughout the second term.
A late one from Heyfield’s Mitchell Bennett gave the Kangaroos a 15-point halftime lead.
Goal scoring began to drop as play resumed in the second half, but the Saints made the most of their opportunities to creep back to within two goals unanswered, trailing by just two points.
Sensing that they weren’t playing some third rate side, who despite being eliminated from finals contention weeks prior, the Saints were still up for the fight.
Heyfield worked hard from the end of the third quarter into the beginning of the last to lead by 17 points.
Hughes banged home another for the Saints at the 13-minute mark to bring it back to 10 points however, the Kangaroos managed two goals quickly in advance to create the separation to see out the game.
The win for Heyfield keeps them alongside Woodside and a game back of TTU for first on the ladder.
Caleb Ronan, Tom Marchesi, Kail Hole, Kodie Woodland, Robert McMillan and Jack Christian were recognised for the Kangaroos.
Hughes with a standout six goals produced the individual performance of the round, with Hector, Coffey, Tom Armstrong, Tim Johnston and Braden Paulet making up the rest of Cowwarr’s best.
TTU 13.16 (94) def Sale City 6.5 (41)
UNDENIABLE at this point.
Despite an early firm contest, TTU rolled past Sale City, 13.16 (94) to 6.5 (41) at Tyers Recreation Reserve, as the Bombers look set to clinch the minor premiership this weekend, dependant on results.
The Bulldogs, who are eyeing a late surge into finals, were desperate to make a statement against one of the best sides of the last handful of years, especially on their home turf.
Sale City gave TTU a run for their money as the match opened, with the Bombers holding a minor lead of two points after the first term.
Only two more goals were booted to halftime, with the Bulldogs’ Flynn Read pushing his side ahead early on in the second quarter.
Josh Twite’s response for TTU triggered an attacking attitude for the Bombers, leading 27-20 at the main break.
TTU returned seeing blood, not wanting to drop another late season game as they did a few weeks ago against Rosedale.
The Bombers booted the opening two goals of the second half to go ahead by 20 points quickly.
Sale City then responded equally for two majors in their own right to cut the margin back to eight points.
Flipping the switch mid-quarter and into the final term, TTU launched seven unanswered goals to shockingly move past the 50-point mark in a flash.
Liam Michie was best afield for the Bombers, followed by Nick Fox, Michael Jacobsen, Twite (four goals), Jake Albanese and David Waddell.
Tom Bowman, Jaxsyn Whitehill, Nicholas Lerardi, Jason Reid, Mason Benson, and Hudson Tollner performed admirably for Sale City.
A mouth-watering matchup now plays out in Round 18 this weekend, where the Bulldogs host Rosedale, in a game that will decide if Sale City play finals or not.
Rosedale 20.21 (141) def Churchill 1.5 (11)
SPEAKING of, the Blues blew by Churchill.
Rosedale defeated Churchill, 20.21 (141) to 1.5 (11) at Rosedale Recreation Reserve.
The result could have been even more substantial if the Blues kicked more accurately, but they began with a 5.5 (35) to nothing opening quarter.
Another five goals followed in the second term with an additional seven behinds, but the Cougars finally got on the board through a major from skipper Jordan Fenech.
With the scoreboard reading 72-6 at halftime, the Blues were not about to let up, in need of added percentage anyway they could get it.
Adding another 35 points in the third quarter, Rosedale went passed the 100-point mark (both score and margin-wise) with a quarter to spare.
A more accurate 5.4 (34) final term resulted in a 130-point win for the Blues.
Luke Stuckey, Tom Northe, Riley Atlee, Oscar Smith, Rohan Diamond and Spencer Fox (two goals) were standouts for Rosedale.
Blues playing-coach Michael Driscoll added a game-high six goals, while Declan Barnett produced three.
Joe Whykes, Fenech, Chris Gardiner, Brad Brereton, Jordan Answerth and Nick Twomey were named in the best for Churchill.
Glengarry 12.15 (87) def Gormandale 6.7 (43)
GLENGARRY added their third win for the season, while Gormandale continued their unfortunate streak.
In a bottom three battle with both eyeing an end of season victory, the Magpies won 12.15 (87) to 6.7 (43) at Fred King Oval.
After Glengarry opened strongly with three of the first four goals, the Tigers rose to the occasion with the next two, ending the first quarter down just two points.
Gormandale’s undoing however came from practically one player, as the Magpies’ Ben Truin booted six goals in the opening half.
That included four majors from Truin in the second quarter as Glengarry extended the margin beyond six goals through to halftime.
The Tigers attempted to give themselves life as play resumed in the third quarter with the opening two goals, but Glengarry then responded with three of the next four to the finish.
Truin ended the game with a seven-goal masterclass, with Michael Ryan, Jesse Lee, Tom Harris, Nathan Larkin and Cameron Whitehead as standouts for the Magpies.
Hayden Richards, Liam Deering (two goals), Chris Potalej, Trent Baldwin, Jarred Canning and Nicholas Millington (two goals) played well for Gormandale.
YARRAM had the bye.
