Exciting ride in hunt for finals
by Keith Anderson
Followers of the Ellinbank and District and Gippsland leagues are in for an exciting ride over the second half of the home and away seasons. Some key results on the weekend have opened up the battles for places in the finals. After reaching the midway point where all Gippsland League sides have all played each other, four are locked in an arm wrestle for fourth and fifth places. Wonthaggi Power, Moe, Warragul and Bairnsdale currently hold down those spots, each with four wins on the board and not a great deal separating them on percentage. The battle tightened up at the weekend courtesy of Wonthaggi’s come from behind win at Bairnsdale - Power’s third win in a row - Moe’s toppling of Sale and Warragul’s defeat at Maffra. The top three - Leongatha, Traralgon and Maffra - have a strong hold on those positions, Leongatha continuing its unbeaten record to show the rest of the competition a clean pair of heels. In the EDFL, where there’ll be a final “six”, Cora Lynn, Bunyip and Koo wee rup have jumped clear at the top and look well on the way to the finals. But the other three spots are a lottery, particularly with a 15-team competition meaning an uneven draw where not all teams play each other twice. The “big” results on Saturday that could have a big bearing on final positions were Nilma-Darnum’s toppling of previously unbeaten Koo wee rup and and Nar Nar Goon’s victory over Warragul Industrials. Garfield, in the mix for the “six”, couldn’t hold off Bunyip to strengthen its claim. Six clubs are vying for 4th to 6th places. Neerim Neerim South and Nar Nar Goon are on 24 points to sit behind the top three but breathing down their necks on 20 points are Warragul Industrials, Garfield, Nilma-Darnum and Buln Buln. Dusties, despite some key recruiting this year, can’t yet consolidate a position in the top group. In a hard-fought match at Nar Nar Goon on Saturday Dusties could manage only one behind in the last quarter to go down by 19 points. Garfield put up a spirited effort against the more favoured Bunyip that got on top in the second half to score 12-5 to 8-9. Nilma-Darnum with a more favourable draw ahead than some of the other contenders produced the upset of the round in an exciting finish at Koo wee rup. The Bombers’ three straight goals in the last term to the Demons’ 1-7 were telling in the final score of 8-7 to 5-13. Although no finals’ hopes were at stake the biggest celebrations and the most exciting finish of the day was at Catani where Ellinbank notched its breakthrough win for the year. But only by a solitary point. The ‘Bankers almost kicked away victory with seven behinds in the last quarter that enabled Catani, 15 points in arrears at the last break, to edge closer. Final scores were Ellinbank 9-19, Catani 10-12. The three other games were blowouts. Buln Buln brushed aside Poowong 17-17 to 1-1, Cora Lynn thumped Nyora 27-16 to 2-2 and Longwarry could manage only 1-12 against Neerim Neerim South’s 20-18. Lang Lang, not in finals contention, had the bye. Mid Gippsland league had a weekend off ahead of the second half of its season. But unlike the other two leagues the finalists already look settled. It will take a string of major upsets to displace Newborough, Morwell East, Mirboo North, Yallourn Yallourn North and Yinnar from the “five”.