FOOTBALL

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

By LIAM DURKIN

 

IN keeping with modern societal philosophy, everyone from the Latrobe Valley was a winner in Round 7 of the Gippsland League.

Football egalitarianism saw Morwell, Traralgon and Moe all record thumping victories at the weekend.

Social Darwinism however saw another unfortunate showing of one-sided games, with the strong seemingly only getting stronger.

Truthfully, while there is plenty of matches still to be played, it is difficult to see season 2026 going down in history as one to remember.

That is unless of course you barrack for Moe or Warragul.

Both teams are undefeated, and seeking to break long-standing premiership droughts.

All is set up for a classic Sunday top-of-the-table encounter this weekend at Gaskin Park, Churchill when the Lions and Gulls go head-to-head.

 

Traralgon 19.18 (132) def Maffra 9.14 (68)

TRARALGON secured a vital win.

The Maroons got through what loomed as a danger game against Maffra with relative ease.

The home side broke away after the main break to win 19.18 (132) to 9.14 (68).

Maffra led at the first break, but a seven goal to one second term saw the game return in Traralgon’s favour.

Eagles forward Seth Smith created some early headaches, and finished with four goals.

The Maroons extended a 30 point lead into a 50 point advantage at the final change of ends.

Mitch Mustoe was best for the winners, followed by Tye Hourigan, Cooper Brown, Matt Northe, Connor Ambler and Tom Hamilton.

Left footer Brown has been in good form, while the return of Hamilton has been a positive for the Maroons. The luckless key position player missed all of last year with injury, and played just three games in 2024.

Smith was among Maffra’s best, along with Archer Stobie, John Butcher, Tom Phillips, Angus Weatherley and Sam Anderson.

Despite the result, there remains plenty of upside for the Eagles.

Maffra reportedly played a fearless style at the weekend – much like the Maroons did during its premiership season of 2024.

The difference is purely inexperience to help cover the higher error rate.

With the four points secured, Traralgon created a sizeable gap inside the top five.

The Maroons are fifth, although two wins clear of Morwell, who they play this Sunday.

 

Morwell 16.4 (100) def Drouin 6.16 (52)

MORWELL defeated Drouin on Sunday.

The Tigers put a difficult few weeks behind them, winning 16.4 (100) to 6.16 (52) on the road.

The result gave captain-coach Aidan Quigley his first win in charge, and broke a four-game losing streak.

Morwell had to recover from a slow start, after managing just one goal in the opening term.

The visitors regained the lead at halftime, and were ahead by just 10 points at the last break.

A seven goal to none final term however saw Morwell finish well.

Similar to Maffra, the Hawks are a very young side who simply don’t have the experience of a Tyler Hillier, Blake Couling, Hugh Dunbar and Zac Anderson, who were noted as Morwell’s best.

Josh Galea had a major say in the result, kicking five goals with his patented ball drop for the winners.

New recruit Cody Chapman also played his best game in his new colours.

Drouin was at just about full strength, using 40 player points.

VFL player Lane Ward was available, and proved a handful. Others to put in good stints were Kyron Smith, William Young, Campbell Bedford, Brodie Atkins and Riley Wierzbicki.

 

Moe 30.12 (192) def Bairnsdale 13.13 (91)

YOU just have to say it.

Thirteen, thirteeeeeen.

Moe continued to break scoring records, after putting up 30.12 (192) to 13.13 (91) against Bairnsdale.

In another quite farcical game, the Lions went on a scoring rampage – and this was without Ben Crocker or Riley D’Arcy.

D’Arcy was serving a one-match suspension, while Crocker is still injured.

In their absence, Harry Pepper helped himself to 13 goals, and Myles Poholke kicked nine for the second time this season.

Pepper’s haul equalled the record for Moe against Bairnsdale, joining the famous (or infamous) Ken Rainsford from 1994.

The Lions kicked seven goals straight in the second quarter at Newborough, and broke or equalled its scoring record for first and third quarters against Bairnsdale.

Moe’s 7.6 (48) in the first term equalled the same score from 2021, while the third quarter of 9.4 (58) beat the old record by one point from 1998.

Adding further triviality, the Lions coach in each of those two games was Lachlan Sim, who is now the team’s senior assistant.

That the Redlegs still kicked close enough to the ton showed how little defence there really was.

Cooper Harvey was valiant in defeat, as was Jonah Walker, Ethan East, Oscar Morrison, Tyran Rees and Charlie Mann.

Pepper and Poholke took line honours, while James Harmes, Blake Mullane and Trent Baldi were best. Ben Raymond, on debut from the thirds, also attracted votes, and looks a player for the future.

As ridiculous as the game was, you did get a sense of just how good you have to be to make it to the top level.

And even more so to then make a career out of it.

Pepper and Poholke were both drafted. Pepper never played a game however, and Poholke played less than 20.

To think there is then another level beyond that – I’m talking your Bontempelli’s, Heeney’s and Daicos’.

The Lions will be without veteran Tom Long for another four weeks due to suspension.

Long was given his sentence last week, following a head high bump that left Morwell’s Burkeley Macfarlane worse for wear.

 

Warragul 12.1 (73) drew Leongatha 10.13 (73)

WARRAGUL past another test.

The Gulls were pitted against Leongatha at the weekend, and although they didn’t win – they didn’t lose either.

In a crazy finish at Western Park, the scores were all tied up at 73 apiece.

A set shot from Leongatha midfielder Tom Marriott after the siren scraped in for a behind, levelling the scores.

The scoreboard told part of the story. Warragul barely missed – kicking 12.1 (73). Leongatha dominated the third term, kicking 5.2 (32), but its final tally was 10.13 (73).

The Gulls jumped out to a 23 point lead at the main break, before heavy rain arrived as teams retook their positions.

The Parrots did not let conditions deter them, and edged ahead at three quarter time by three points.

A traditional slog then played out, with Warragul’s only goal coming after Tom Hobbs was awarded a 50 metre penalty deep into time on.

The Hobbs goal gave the home side a one-point lead with around 90 seconds to go. Leongatha however found a surprising number of short passes from the remaining time, which ended with the ball in Marriott’s hands some 45 metres out.

Kicking to the clubroom end on a slight angle, the league champion’s kicked faded across the face.

The result added further intrigue to the narrative of the two teams. One clearly on the rise, and one looking to maintain its stranglehold of league supremacy.

Much as Leongatha has been labelled ‘too old’ in recent years, looking at their veteran players up close from ground level, they certainly still look to be moving well.

Warragul meanwhile earnt another slice of street credit.

Granted kicking 12.1 (73) isn’t going to happen every week, the Gulls were without key big men Sam Whibley, Liam Serong and Rhys Galvin at the weekend – and still drew with a Leongatha side that had Kim Drew and former Carlton player Fraser Phillips in for his first game.

Warragul may be without key forward Jordan Stewart this weekend, after a sling tackle left Leongatha’s Hayden Lindsay concussed.

 

Wonthaggi 26.10 (166) def Sale 0.3 (3)

WE knew they were going to struggle, but … wow.

In troubling scenes for any level of football, yet alone a major league, Sale did not even kick a goal against Wonthaggi.

Calls for the mercy rule were made as the Power waltzed to a 163 point win, 26.10 (166) to 0.3 (3) at Sale Oval.

Not surprisingly, it was Wonthaggi’s greatest winning margin against Sale and the Magpies equal lowest-ever score in the competition.

Cooper McInnes kicked seven goals and Jarryd Blair and Jaxon Foon four each for the visitors.

Wonthaggi again sent a timely reminder it will be a team to watch in season 2026.

The biggest issue for the Power however is clearly depth. Wonthaggi reserves lost at the weekend, and with the arrival of the coldest part of the year, their biggest challenge will be coming out of winter with as many players as it did going in.

For Sale, it remains a week-to-week battle.

The Magpies have now lost five of the seven games by more than 100 points. Not to take anything away from the players, who are surely trying their best, but it is hard to see any merit handing out awards at this year’s club presentation.

While all clubs go through periods of struggle, has there ever been a side that was this uncompetitive?

Were Moe this bad in 1996-97? (Winless in both), or Morwell in the early 2000s? (Four consecutive wooden spoons).

If they were, then … good Lord.