Magpies swoop in Battle of the Birds
Another week of footy, another week of the ladder seeing some big moves. With Morwell officially making their move, Maffra has lost their footing in the top five, while for Moe the finals dream appears all but dead.
It was also Mental Health round this week, as all players wore blue armbands and one player per side wore a special blue guernsey to help raise awareness of the mental health issues the community faces.
This is what you may have missed this week in the Gippsland League.
Sale vs Maffra
The 'Battle of the Birds' has provided some of the Gippsland League's most entertaining and thrilling contests over the years. Unfortunately, this was not one of them.
Just as soon as they had broken into the top five, Maffra are back on the outer courtesy of total dismantling at the hands of Sale.
In some swirling conditions, the Magpies used an irresistible seven goal to two second term to break the game wide open. Though they faced plenty resistance in the second half, they were more than strong enough to win 16.14 (110) to 10.6 (66).
Jarrod Freeman was the unlikely hero up forward for Sale with four goals, as Brad Dessent and Thomas Campbell helped out with three each. Shannon Lange's outstanding season through the midfield continued, while Jack Leslie threw his weight around in the air to maintain his own solid form.
While the Magpies' 36-point half time lead looked impenetrable, the Eagles used a breeze to strike back in the third term to reduce the margin to just 12, but in the end were overwhelmed by another flurry in the final term to fall well short.
John Butcher played well to finish with four goals, while Daniel Bedggood played a different kind of role around the field to be named as his side's best despite kicking no goals of his own.
With all the sides around them winning their respective matches, the loss sees the Eagles once again outside the top five as the only team on seven wins.
Their percentage remains strong, but they'll need to keep racking up the wins if they want to be a factor late in the year. A match next week against Wonthaggi looms as a potential eight-point game. Sale's top three aspirations remain alive, and they'll continue to push their case next week against Drouin.
Traralgon vs Moe
One win in eight rounds. That's now the reality for Moe, who were once again on the wrong end of a result over the weekend, this time to Traralgon.
Missing a host of senior players to injury, what first seemed to be a season full of promise has turned to disaster for the Lions, with a season-ending injury last week to playing coach Declan Keilty being the latest in a long list of setbacks for the team.
Keilty's presence was clearly missed this week too as Brett Eddy, the player who would have most likely been his opponent, booted six goals to sink the Lions 15.9 (99) to 8.13 (61).
Dylan Loprese was also solid with three goals for the Maroons, while Mark Collison starred to put on a best on ground performance.
After a tight first quarter, the Maroons made their move in the second, putting on six goals to one to blow the contest wide open.
The height of Traralgon caused constant headaches for the Lions, who were certainly never the biggest team. But without the likes of Keilty or Matthew Barrand in the side, they were rather bereft of players capable of taking the same contested marks as their opponents.
The Lions missed some vital chances in the third term to get the game back on better terms by kicking 3.6, and by three quarter time the horse had clearly bolted.
Ben Morrow, Brock Smith and Riley Baldi all put in admirable efforts for Moe, but a team can only have so many reserves players in the seniors before something has to give. And given the current record of the side and the fact that finals now look a bridge too far, it's now clear that it gave weeks ago.
Traralgon, meanwhile, would have been pleased with their response after a poor showing against Morwell last week, as they look to finish top three and guarantee a double chance. Bairnsdale vs Leongatha
If Leongatha was going to lose a game this season, it was always unlikely to be this one. But still, the sheer brutality with which they dismissed their opponents was something to behold.
The Parrots were in fine form against Bairnsdale as they came out breathing fire, piling on eight goals to one in a first quarter blitz. It was an almost exact replica of their first term last week against Wonthaggi, and similarly to that game there was no coming back for their opponents as Leongatha won 19.23 (137) to 8.2 (50).
Bairnsdale, though clearly fighting a losing battle, did adjust to the speed of the game after quarter time a bit better but never looked in the contest.
Cameron Olden, playing just his third senior game for Leongatha after playing for Richmond's VFL side earlier this year, kicked five goals to lead all comers. Olden had previously had to play for Leongatha's reserves side to earn his spot, with the mind-blowing depth the Parrots boast being so great that a VFL player had to prove himself worth of a position.
Cameron Stone, Aaron Heppell and Tom Marriott did their usual thing through the middle, dominating the clearances and contested ball to give their side first use, despite the absence of ruckman Justin Pellicano.
For Bairnsdale, Josh Wykes and Logan Austin played solid games, while John Gooch played a bit of a lone hand up forward to be his team's only multiple goalkicker with three.
With just five games remaining this season, the prospect of Leongatha having a totally perfect season is gaining momentum week by week, and with the minor premiership almost guaranteed the Parrots are eyeing off a piece of history in 2022.
Next week's games (home team named first): Drouin v Sale;
Leongatha v Morwell;
Maffra v Wonthaggi;
Moe v Bairnsdale; and
Traralgon v Warragul.