FOOTBALL

MID GIPPSLAND

By MITCH BERECHREE

 

ANY doubts anyone had it was footy season were surely dispelled the instant the curtains were opened last Saturday morning.

Rain, wind, clouds and the anticipation of getting a kick greeted all, regardless of where we call home across Gippsland.

And if you were at Foster on Saturday afternoon for the grand final replay as I was, you were even treated to the odd burst of sunshine among the downpours and gusts of wind that might well have blown a dog off its chain.

 

Foster 8.9 (57) def Fish Creek 4.11 (35)

FISH Creek, last years vanquished, and Foster, the home team with a handful of recruits, showed exactly why they will again be the competition’s benchmark.

The Tigers won 8.9 (57) to 4.11 (35).

Aided by kicking to the scoring end to start, Foster piled on five majors to a solitary Fish Creek goal in the first term.

Whilst the two glamour forwards for Foster, coach Jake Best and Brett Eddy (who just happen have more than 2000 career goals between them) were the centre of attention, it was the less heralded Shaun Chaseling who did the damage with a pair of goals in the opening stanza.

Some crafty small forward work saw him bob up in the right spot at the right time and unlike many who tried throughout the course of the day, he was able to capitalise by finding the big sticks.

The midfield battle was worth the price of entry alone, with Mitch Allot, as per usual, doing his thing for the Tigers up against soon-to-be cult hero Will McTaggart in the ruck.

The two man-mountains battled it out nearly all day. Declaring a winner would have been unfair on one over the other.

At ground level, Jackson and Rhett Weidemann were joined by Luke Williams for Fish Creek, and made every contest a hard fought one.

Williams ran in straight lines all day, while both Jack and Rhett were productive inside and outside the stoppages, with both using their penetrating left feet to great effect.

Foster had Tom Schneider join league medal winner Angus Norton in the middle, with Bailey Angwin among a crew of others who ran through the Tigers’ midfield over the course of the day.

A second quarter injury to Dylan Williams left them short a rotation, but they kept on keeping on.

Fish Creek settled after the first break but couldn’t convert their ascendency around the ground onto the scoreboard.

As Fish Creek coach Jarrod Walker noted “not only did Foster take full advantage of the wind in the first stanza, but they defended really well in the second quarter” holding his side to a solitary major in what was becoming a hard fought battle.

After the main break, the arm wrestle predicted by Foster coach Jake Best the day before continued, with his counterpart Walker sliding some magnets around to try and work his way back into the match.

A fine balancing act it was too that Walker faced, as coughing up a few goals in pursuit of the several his side needed would have left Fish Creek too far from Foster despite having the scoring end in the last term.

With McTaggart going forward, Brody Mitchell and Rhett Wiedemann tag teamed in the ruck and provided more than enough chances for their side to score into the breeze.

Alas, their four scoring shots amounted to only a single major which was offset by a goal to Foster.

Walker noted the continuing wind and rain after the main break made it hard for his team to claw back the scoreboard deficit, but felt his side “had a small pulse” coming into the last where they would be kicking to the scoring end.

While enjoying the majority of play in the front half, Walker again acknowledged Foster’s ability to defend for large periods.

Fish Creek was able to get within 11 points during the last quarter, but late goals to Best and Angwin sealed the deal and Foster were deserved winners.

 

Thorpdale 6.14 (50) def Boolarra 4.5 (29)

NOT quite the Hatfields and the McCoys, but it is fair to say, on the field at least, these two clubs aren’t the greatest of mates.

And so it came to pass again last Saturday – a fierce contest with no quarter given and certainly none asked for.

Home side Thorpdale claimed the 6.14 (50) to 4.5 (29) win with a late surge.

In a game that Boolarra coach Brendan Mason said saw both sides with momentum at times and chances to put the other team away, it was Thorpdale who did so when it mattered most.

With scores level at the last change, it was as simple as win the quarter, win the game.

A pragmatic Mason acknowledged after the final hooter, that the Blues deserved the result.

For Boolarra, the two skippers, Mason Porykali and Joel Mason, were joined in the best by second-year midfield warrior Tim Potter. And with only four goals kicked, it was one each to coach Brendan Mason, Joel Mason, Mat Devon and Timmy Dye for the Demons.

Winning coach Daniel Taylor was happy to see his preseason efforts play out with a Round 1 victory.

Taylor felt his side was perhaps the better team “the majority of the day, with a lot of front half territory that the side couldn’t convert to the scoreboard.” The early hard work paid off handsomely however in the last term.

Taylor described his side as relentless, but was only able to take a breath on the side lines after “the boys kicked a couple of late goals which resulted in a comfortable win in a low-scoring game”.

Thorpdale were best served by new recruit Ayden Ramm and the evergreen ruckman Gavan Low, with Mitch Gorman slotting a pair of majors.

 

MDU 12.9 (81) def Newborough 6.7 (43)

AFTER pulling off a Round 1 upset last year, Newborough made the trip to Meeniyan in the hope of again toppling the more fancied Demons.

It was a case of once bitten, twice shy though for the Demons, who were ready to go from the first bounce.

Newborough certainly provided much more than nuisance value right up until the third term, when the class of MDU took over to see the home team record a 38 point win, 12.9 (81) to 6.7 (43).

Meeniyan Dumbalk Untied coach Rhett Kelly noted that the Bulldogs “made it a very tight contest, winning a lot of stoppages and ground balls.”

He continued that whilst he felt his side controlled the game early, they allowed too many easy scores for the visitors, which kept things closer than he would have liked.

Kelly and his leadership group addressed this at halftime, with a focus on communication and connection for his side after the main break.

The net outcome of this according to the coach was that the Demons “played more forward-half football in the second half and managed to get on top on the scoreboard”.

It was Nick Nagel in particular who did the most damage, slotting five majors and setting up several others.

For Newborough, it was Nathan Wheildon, the playing-assistant coach returning after missing last season with a horror injury, who led the way.

That he was noted as best for the Borough and didn’t kick a goal is telling. Goal kicking honours went to Ben Van Dyk and Kyle Jennings with three and two respectively.

 

Mirboo North 13.5 (83) def Toora 2.7 (19)

THE Tigers, who came so close to a finals berth last year, hit the ground running for season 2026 with a comprehensive win over Toora.

An accurate Mirboo North won 13.5 (83) to 2.7 (19).

Undoubtedly happy with the 10-goal plus win, Mirboo North coach Damo Turner was equally impressed with his sides defence as attack.

Restricting any opposition to just two goals speaks volumes for the defensive system and mindset his troops applied.

Goals were spread among a trio of forwards for Mirboo North, with new-comers Hayden Potts and returning player Thomas Campbell slotting three each, along with skipper and best-on-ground Hudson Kerr.

Turner noted it was “a fantastic start to the season” while giving credit to Toora for “making us earn every contest in the windy and wet conditions.”

He was particularly enthused with his sides ability to “work hard deep into the quarters and trust the set-ups and structures put in place across the preseason”.

Turner went on to praise his younger players and new recruits, highlighting the “hunger” they showed as a group.

 

Hill End 6.5 (41) def Stony Creek 1.5 (11)

WHEN the first thing both coaches mention is conditions, it is no surprise when you check the scores that you see it was one behind each at the first break when Hill End make the trek to Stony Creek.

The final scoreboard reflected as much, Hill End winning 6.5 (41) to 1.5 (11).

To be fair, Hill End coach Tom Hallinan noted the terrific condition of Stony Creek ground, before adding that was until “we literally watched the weather roll in.”

And when the home side coach, Troy Shepardson, says the game was played in “one of the worst weather days you will ever get” it is hardly a shock only seven goals were kicked for the day.

With his side only able to muster one of the seven goals kicked, Shepardson lauded Hill End saying “they bought great energy” and had an “ability to pressure the ball carrier” which they kept at all day, negating Stony Creek’s desire to play a more free flowing game.

With only Matt Portelli troubling the scorers, it was a result that matched the weather for the home side.

Hill End on the other hand enjoyed multiple successes on the day, with only its A Grade Netball not tasting victory.

When asked to focus in on his senior side, he went on to say it was the first time in many a year the Hillmen had enjoyed a Round 1 win, in what was a “great start” for the side.

He spoke glowingly of new recruits Tom Johnstone and Sam Hanson, saying they “were able to get us some first use of the ball” and set up his side’s forward forays.

The main beneficiary of this was Luke Summersgill, who was the only multiple goal scorer, and found himself listed in the best alongside the afore mentioned Johnstone and Seth Calway.

 

Tarwin 6.8 (44) def Morwell East 3.4 (22)

TARWIN entered the season with the thought of finals footy at the forefront.

A pragmatic Morwell East however was more inclined to use the year to develop and rebuild a club that went from premiership contender to wooden spooners in the space of just two seasons.

And at halftime of its Round 1 clash this year, it looked as though incoming Hawks coach Ben Marks might have been able to get the boys from Vary Street on the winners list first up.

It wasn’t to be however, with Morwell East losing 6.8 (44) to 3.4 (22).

In a low-scoring contest, Morwell East made the most of their opportunities to manage 2.2 (14) from four shots on goal, while a wasteful Tarwin sat at 1.5 (11) as the sides retreated to the rooms at the main break.

Marks reflected that “a 15-minute lapse in the third quarter let Tarwin take control of the game”.

Marks sad his young group continued to play an “exciting brand” but as the game wore on and conditions worsened, Tarwin slotted five second half gaols to the Hawks’ one, and took an important home ground win by 22 points.

 

YINNAR had the bye.