FOOTBALL
GIPPSLAND LEAGUE
BY BLAKE METCALF-HOLT
THE three Latrobe Valley clubs were represented heavily in the second week of Gippsland League finals.
Results that played out have resulted in a preliminary final showdown between two decade-spanning rivals.
Moe 13.14 (92) def Morwell 6.12 (48)
NO love was lost between Moe and Morwell on Sunday, as the traditional Latrobe Valley rivals did battle in the first semi final.
In a home final, with their season on the line, the Lions took control of the game when it counted to win 13.14 (92) to 6.12 (48) at Ted Summerton Reserve.
The significant victory shunted any thoughts of a possible failed season for Moe, who for large chunks of the home-and-away season had been viewed as premiership favourites.
However, arriving at the weekend, just a month separated the last matchup between the two clubs, with the Tigers getting the better of the Lions on the same ground of the elimination semi by two points, meaning it wasn’t clear cut which way the result would go.
Having said that, it was only if Moe didn’t play up to their standards and Morwell were able to capitalise on this consequential final that would see the result close.
The Lions proved that they can’t be taken lightly heading into a preliminary final against fellow rivals Traralgon, showcasing their most complete performance in weeks when mattered most.
As soon as the ball was bounced for the first time, one thing could be seen clear as day. Moe wanted to be the bullies in this do-or-die game.
Returning from the reserves against Morwell, the Lions’ Matt Heywood went straight to Tigers’ playing coach Boyd Bailey, instantly pushing and shoving Morwell’s main man from the opening seconds.
Heywood would remain on his hip the entire day – a classic tag job for the ages.
Moe began with a number of trying attacks with no major score, which also gave time for plenty of biff between the Lions’ forwards and the Tigers’ defenders.
Playing coach Leigh Poholke read the ball beautifully as it fell over the back Max Linton, only to rush the kick on a slight angle from no more than five metres out, giving the Lions a three behinds to one advantage.
Poholke made up for that simple error just minutes later, getting out on a lead on delivery from Trent Baldi, giving Moe the first goal for the day.
The Lions’ coach had another shot on goal after the Moe midfield won the next centre clearance, his shot drifting far but into the hands of Ben Crocker, who went around the corner for his first.
The next centre bounce would see a moment of much controversy and be a key point of discussion, specifically from the home Moe crowd, for the rest of the day’s proceedings.
Morwell won the tap into the hands of onballer Anthony Rosato, who threw the ball onto his boot only for a short gain, which then saw the ball bounce over the head of the following player and into the hands of Baldi.
Rosato had a straight line for Baldi as he collected the ball, and a crunching tackle was laid.
No free kick was paid, a ball up occurred, but Baldi took his time getting up, grabbing at his face, but continued with the next contest.
After the ball exited Morwell’s way, Baldi headed for the bench – the result reportedly a broken jaw.
Adding to the hefty concern that Moe had just lost their best midfielder possibly for the rest of the season, the Tigers answered with the next goal coming from a roving Cohen Campbell at the 19-minute mark.
The Lions responded almost instantly however, with Harry Pepper lowering his eyes 45 metres from home to find Poholke who quickly snapped over his head, giving Moe a 13-point lead into stoppage time.
Crocker and Poholke each found time to add additional goals for Moe.
After the Lions’ coach added his third for the day in the first quarter, he went straight for Linton for a few words.
Moe could have extended their lead to beyond five goals had Crocker converted on the siren from dead in front, but it went awry.
As play resumed after the first break, and with Morwell now with the wind advantage to the entrance end, the Tigers had no choice but to make up ground.
The desperation of each side was sensed the most during the opening stages of the second quarter, with Moe clogging their backline as Morwell kept the ball in their forward half, and as soon as the Lions had possession, they sucked the life out of the game.
The Tigers still had their opportunities throughout this period, with four behinds to their name, only for the Lions to eventually work the ball along the far wing into their attacking 50 for the first time of the second term.
Now with the ability lock it in their forward half, Moe eventually made Morwell pay with Brock Smith sending home the first goal of the quarter 17 minutes in.
This period for the Tigers was as most the time they lost themselves the game as any, failing to claw back on the scoreboard.
Crocker would eventually add his third for the Lions at the 27-minute mark after entry from a streaming Myles Poholke, ballooning the margin to 38 points.
The Tigers eventually subdued an even more substantial deficit with Aidan Quigley adding two majors at the backend of the second quarter to see the Lions lead 50-24 at the main break.
After a small shoving match ensued at halftime siren, words were exchanged between both playing groups and coaching staffs as they headed into the rooms.
While Moe had Morwell’s number a majority of the first half, anyone would be hard pressed to predict how the game would open up.
The Tigers did add the first goal of the second half, with Josh Galea hitting the scoreboard at the seven-minute mark, but from there on out, it was all Lions.
Youngster Jordan Shields set that run alight with the biggest round of applause from the crowd after he waltzed inside forward 50 and launched home a booming goal, instantly heading towards the Moe faithful.
Crocker then added his fourth after receiving the ball from Nick Prowse – the margin was back out beyond 30 points.
After Galea slotted his first to begin the third quarter, Moe sent through the next six majors to blow the game out of the water, as the Lions went ahead by 10 goals.
The Tigers chances looked shot after the Lions coach Poholke found the ball along the boundary deep in the pocket in front of the China Rowlings Can Bar, throwing the ball on his right foot despite on his left side, still going through the middle sticks.
An anticipated battle was expected in an elimination scenario, but the life was sucked out of the game through Moe’s heroics on their home deck.
No goals were kicked until late in the final minutes of the game, both being empty goals for Morwell.
Play got even more chippy as the game wound down with Jacob Wood and Rosato getting into it, and as the Morwell player arrived to the bench, exchanged words with more Moe people on the opposite side of the fence.
The final siren eventually blew, much to the delight of the Lions, and was likely wanted by the Tigers as the game was lost long beforehand.
Heywood justifiably received heavy praise as he arrived into the rooms following the singing of the song for his no holds barred, best-on-ground performance, keeping Morwell’s coach Bailey to little impact.
Alex Dijkstra (two goals), Smith, Prowse, Declan Keilty returning to his spot in the backline, and Pepper were all strong in Moe’s win.
The Tigers named Quigley, Burkeley Macfarlane, Tyler Hillier, Dan Musil, Rosato, and Sam Walsh as their best.
Despite losing one Baldi, Moe will see another return, with Casey losing their VFL semi final to Frankston, meaning Riley Baldi will drop into the Lions’ line-up as they move into the preliminary final against the Maroons.
They could have seen even more artillery re-emerge had Gippsland Power lost its quarter final the same day however, the Coates Talent League defeated Geelong Falcons by eight points and have themselves moved into a preliminary final.
Leongatha 7.12 (54) def Traralgon 5.4 (34)
WHAT more can you do?
Leongatha moved into their ninth consecutive grand final, beginning in 2015, as the Parrots defeated Traralgon 7.12 (54) to 5.4 (34) in the second semi final.
A scenario that could the same in two weeks’ time, and also was the case in last year’s grand final, the two previous premiers did battle at Morwell Recreation Reserve in Saturday afternoon football.
The Maroons entered the day after passing Moe closely in the qualifying final by nine points, setting up a grand final rematch for which the minor premier Leongatha awaited.
Traralgon were instantly offered an even more difficult task in the midfield, with Parrots skipper Tom Marriott returning to the main game for the first time since Round 8 over three months ago.
Adding to that, Leongatha favourite son Dyson Heppell was inserted on to the ball to begin proceedings having played in the last home-and-away game against Maffra after his VFL side Port Melbourne failed to play finals.
Heppell now focuses his full attention on the Parrots adding their fifth premiership in the last eight years.
Despite the star power surrounding the green and gold, the Maroons nailed the first punch of the second semi through Dylan Loprese around the corner close to home.
In perfect conditions, the contest was equally as hot as the temperature that lifted as the seniors began.
However, Traralgon were the ones seemingly a little more finer to open the game, as Jackson McMahon added Traralgon’s second after winning a two on one contest in the goal square and toeing the ball across the goal line.
Leongatha were under worlds of pressure, and that danger was even further felt as they trailed 19-nothing after Loprese slotted his second from 40 metres out on a slight angle.
Sensing the urgency, Leongatha began to settle after sustaining that early deficit.
After a Patrick Ireland missed shot, Traralgon’s Mitch Membrey kicked the ball back in directly to his opposition in Jenson Garnham.
Lucky for Membrey, Garnham faltered, but Leongatha started to gain.
Pressure lifted either way, only for the Parrots to continuously gain yardage, ending with Garnham converting dead in front 25 metres out for Leongatha’s first major.
No easy disposal was seen from any player on the ground with plenty of smothers seen across the backend of the opening quarter, but the Parrots eventually caught out the
Traralgon defence, working through centre square, ending with Garnham’s second goal.
Despite their early worries, Leongatha trailed by just five points at quarter time.
Play resumed, and the former Essendon captain immediately got to work for his home club, with Heppell taking an impressive intercept mark flying in over in front of Traralgon’s Connor Ambler.
Maroons vice skipper Luis D’Angelo then pinned Heppell holding the ball shortly after with a solid tackle to much the delight of the Traralgon spectators.
However, Leongatha controlled possession into their forward half and eventually found Garnham for his third, pushing the Parrots into the lead.
In losing their early buffer, Traralgon then began to press, attempting to move the ball quickly by foot and by hand.
After a long period without any score, Sam Hallyburton roved the ball well from a marking contest at the top of the 50, launching a check side goal from 40 metres home, sending the Maroons back in front.
Traralgon won the next centre clearance, sending the ball into the forward line and finished with big man Loprese running in on his own, giving the Maroons a two-goal lead instantly.
Keeping the contest close and defensively standing strong, Leongatha withstood losing more ground to Traralgon.
Nick Argento then sent through a goal after the halftime siren for the Parrots to keep the margin at six points the way of the Maroons.
The second half opened and was again heavily pressurised.
Tight contests at every corner gave no player any easy kick – exactly how Leongatha would like it, to stop Traralgon’s run.
As such, the Parrots kept the ball inside their forward half, setting up well behind play and getting plenty of repeat entries.
Leongatha’s Tallin Brill took a nice grab over the top of Traralgon premier player Tye Hourigan, before looking short for Xavier Lamers, who subsequently missed the set shot.
Despite the misses, it could be sensed that the Parrots were building, winning contest and giving their forward plenty of opportunities.
Leongatha hit the front through Patrick Ireland on the run and the Parrots could have gone even better prior to the last break, including through Kim Drew who missed in front from north of 30 metres as the three quarter time siren rang.
Even though it was just a three-point game heading into the final term, Traralgon had to have felt lucky that they only trailed by that much considering the sheer dominance of Leongatha in the third quarter.
Jay Walker had an unbelievable run to open the final go, winning the ball at the back flank before giving and receiving three handballs up the wing before hitting up Garnham.
Walker was unlucky that Garnham missed, otherwise it would have been the moment of the day.
The Maroons perhaps knew it wasn’t to be their day as the one man you wouldn’t expect to make any blunder had one himself.
As Hourigan took the ball out for a kick out of fullback, slipped over and was eventually pinned for a throw and Lamers was gifted one just outside of the goal square.
Despite the margin only at 11 points, it seemed as though it would be strange to see the game then flip back the other way, especially considering Traralgon had rarely seen a score after halftime.
Maroons coach Troy Hamilton threw the magnets around and shuffled Hourigan into the forward, to little avail.
Leongatha weren’t going to give an inch at this point, and after McMahon missed one for the Maroons, Garnham eventually nabbed his fourth to seal the game, sending the Parrots into another grand final.
Heppell was a class above in many ways more than one, while Kim Drew, Garnham, Walker, Tim Sauvarin, and Jack Hume were also strong performers.
Despite one disappointing moment, Hourigan was still at his best most of the day, followed by Loprese (three goals), Ambler, D’Angelo, Matt Northe, and Conor Little.
Traralgon now face Latrobe Valley rivals Moe in the preliminary final, making it their fourth finals matchup in the last two seasons.
Gippsland League Preliminary Finals @ Sale Oval
Seniors: Traralgon v Moe (2.20pm)
Reserves: Leongatha v Moe (12.30pm)
Thirds: Leongatha v Warragul (10.45am)
Fourths: Maffra v Warragul (9am)
A Grade: Moe v Morwell (2.35pm)
B Grade: Wonthaggi v Traralgon (1.20pm)
C Grade: Wonthaggi v Leongatha (12.15pm)
17 & Under: Traralgon v Leongatha (11.10am)
15 & Under: Sale v Moe (10.05am)
13 & Under: Leongatha v Traralgon (9am)
