FOOTBALL

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE

By LIAM DURKIN

 

Elimination Final

Warragul 17.14 (116) def Traralgon 9.8 (62)

LIFE has a way of levelling out sometimes.

Almost a year to the day after he missed a regulation shot in the dying seconds of the 2025 elimination final, Jed Lamb single-handedly won Warragul the same fixture at the weekend.

“Lamb is on a heater,” Traralgon playing-coach Dylan Loprese said to his charges at three quarter time, imploring closer checking defence to stop the former AFL journeyman.

Indeed he was, and he only got better as the game progressed.

There has been much talk of Lamb heading back home to Yarram next season.

Many thought last Sunday would be his last game for the Gulls, who went into the Gippsland League finals series with four consecutive losses under their belt.

A seven-goal effort from Lamb however meant Warragul lives to fight another day.

A nine-goal last term from the Gulls broke a host of records, and what’s more, gave Warragul its first finals win since 2008.

Internet results weren’t even around back then.

Most players on the ground last Sunday weren’t even born when Gary Ayres started coaching in the AFL either.

The Warragul legend’s status rose even further at the weekend, and reconfirmed the notion that he has made the Gulls, an arguably weaker side on paper compared to last season, a true competitor in the major league.

Taking to a sunny yet brisk afternoon at Drouin, the Gulls knocked the Maroons out of the finals, winning 17.14 (116) to 9.8 (62).

Finals tend to play host to a number of subplots.

They can also make players reach levels even they probably don’t believe they can.

Last Sunday was no exception.

Man-mountain Sam Whibley kicked an insane goal for Warragul from right up on the boundary in the last quarter. His set shot from 40 metres out kicking to the school end near the Traralgon interchange never looked like missing.

Former Gulls captain Brad Hefford, who was left out of the side for just the second time in his career two weeks ago, was recalled and ended up among the best players.

He may well have thought his season was over, but was granted a reprieve after getting a late call up in Round 18 after Tom Hobbs fell ill.

Hobbs was back at the weekend, and burrowed in as he always does.

Hefford meanwhile was given a run-with role on Traralgon speedster Joel Scholtes.

Liam Serong was also assigned to Maroons heart-and-soul Matt Northe.

Northe kicked the first goal of the game – a neat set shot from in front of the cricket nets that seemed to drift in off the boot.

Traralgon’s tackling pressure was fierce to begin with, and they were able to break open on a number of occasions. Jackson McMahon put the afterburners on to score a first term goal, after getting out the back and running onto the loose ball.

Lamb however was already causing problems at the other end, and clunked two grabs back-to-back to nail both of Warragul’s goals for the first term.

Ayres was composed at quarter time, and told his players they were matching Traralgon in all the important areas.

Warragul began to make its move in the second quarter, as the first real danger signs became evident for the Maroons.

Hayden Willaton joined his brother Liam on the sidelines as injured Traralgon players. Liam did not play in the match – a victim of Wonthaggi’s sodden surface the week before. Hayden did not play in the second half, and was confined to getting around on crutches.

Warragul captain Tom Stern kicked a team-lifting goal, while Lamb snapped one on the run at the 25-minute mark to see the margin at 19 points.

Lamb must have felt the margin could have been greater, berating teammate Vinnie Caia for taking a running shot at goal after breaking clear from half-forward.

Loprese was moved into defence to try and sure things up, as Traralgon players had a few heart-in-mouth moments going absolutely flat out with ball in hand.

Luis D’Angelo and Tye Hourigan showed the composure needed, yet the issue was the number of times the ball bounced out of Traralgon’s inside 50.

High balls into attack were constantly picked off or brought to ground, and the Gulls had half-forwards lengthened to take the ball on transition and get it in the vicinity of Lamb and Jordan Stewart.

Traralgon responded after the main break, and enjoyed a strong 10-minute patch in the third quarter.

Cooper Brown hit Frazar Brouns with an inch-perfect pass, using his chiselling left foot to kick across the body and find Brouns straight in front.

The conversion cut the margin back to 14 points, and when Tom Hamilton goaled a short time later, it was only a 13-point ballgame.

Hourigan went forward (break glass in case of emergency), while good game sense by Loprese saw him hand one off to a running Brown, whose goal meant the Maroons were just seven points down at the 18-minute mark.

Traralgon’s momentum was stifled however after a free kick that could have been paid too high was instead paid holding the ball.

Mitch Membrey showed strong courage to go back with the flight, yet Lamb could not be kept off the scoresheet, and goaled against the run of play at the 26-minute mark after the ball was turned over along Traralgon’s half-forward line.

Despite dominating possession, the Maroons had to settle for a three goal to two quarter.

A few Traralgon supporters made the comment about how sorely Liam Willaton was missed.

Still, with a 14-point deficit at three quarter time, most in attendance were of the view the Maroons’ traditional running game would eventually overpower Warragul’s bigger bodies.

In an outcome that no one saw coming though, the Gulls were the ones that finished full of running.

Lamb kicked the crucial first goal, snapping from close range amid some congestion. Jake Hughes then added another, beating a set of hands from long range.

From 14 points down, Traralgon was suddenly 26 points behind.

Whibley’s miracle goal at the six minute mark effectively called it curtains for the Maroons, and the floodgates just opened from there.

Warragul kicked 9.4 (58) for the term. It was the biggest fourth quarter score by any Warragul side against Traralgon, easily beating the 6.3 (39) it scored against the Maroons in 1981 – at a time when Ayres was into his early days at Hawthorn.

It was also the biggest fourth quarter score for an elimination final in the Gippsland League’s history. The previous best was 7.4 (46) scored by Moe (2005) and Wonthaggi (1997).

Lamb just missed the record for most goals in an elimination final. Leonbatha’s Doug Wright holds onto the record with eight against Maffra in 1973.

Lamb was among the best for the winners, along with Whibley, Serong, Hefford, Hughes and Riley Senini.

Hourigan, Kade Thorley, Hamilton, Brouns, McMahon and Northe were solid for the Maroons.

If last year was all about making finals for Warragul, this year needed to be all about winning one.

The Gulls have ticked that box, and will now fancy their chances against Wonthaggi in this Sunday’s do-or-die elimination final at Leongatha.

 

Qualifying Final

Leongatha 13.15 (93) def Wonthaggi 6.7 (43)

WONTHAGGI was blown off the park by Leongatha in the second half during the qualifying final.

The Parrots kicked nine goals to three after the main break to win 13.15 (93) to 6.7 (43) at Ted Summerton Reserve.

The magnitude of Leongatha’s win sent another timely reminder that the Parrots’ premiership window is far from closing.

Yes, the bulk of its senior side is getting older, but one look at the physical nature of players the likes of Tom Marriott, Luke Bowman and Tallin Brill just reaffirms that these blokes are made for finals.

Marriott and Brill were in the best for Leongatha at the weekend, as was Nick Argento, Jack Hume, Jack Sheridan and the ageless Cade Maskell.

Leongatha played the oldest trick in the book, naming Dyson Heppell first emergency.

He was always going to play, and did so.

Wonthaggi by contrast was without its homegrown AFL player in Jarryd Blair.

The former Collingwood player ruptured his MCL at training in the lead-up to the game. The Power have been training at Korumburra Recreation Reserve as Wonthaggi’s home ground is unusable. The Power reportedly chose Korumburra as it wanted a “firm ground”.

Kyle Reid, Cooper McInnes, Hunter Tiziani, Nathan Muratore, Josh Bates and Brodie Mabilia battled hard in defeat.

Leongatha will now play Moe at Morwell this Saturday for a place in the grand final.