Finals grounds named

Gippsland League has settled venues for the finals series for football and netball.

It is the final year of a three-year “trial” of centralising finals at the three Latrobe City grounds.

They are the best three football grounds in the league.

The grand final will be at Moe on Saturday, September 24, after being held at Morwell and Traralgon in the previous two years.

The preliminary finals revert to a Saturday after being held on a Sunday last year.

Dates and venues of the finals are:Saturday, September 3: Qualifying final at Morwell.

Sunday, September 4: Elimination final at Traralgon.

Saturday, September 10: Second semi-final at Morwell.

Sunday, September 11: First semi-final at Moe.

Saturday, September 17: Preliminary final at Traralgon.

Saturday, September 24; GRAND FINAL at Moe.

Dates have also been set for League best and fairest vote counts and other annual awards.

The senior football and netball presentations will be on the Monday of grand final week, September 19, at the Premiere Function Centre in Traralgon.

The junior counts will be a week earlier at the same venue.

If there was ever any argument about removing the turf cricket wicket area from Western Park the case should have been put to rest by the condition of the ground on Saturday.

Despite its heavy use with dual football tenants and the wet weather of the previous week the ground, other than the pitch area, was in excellent condition.

Probably as good as any in Gippsland at the weekend.

Turf wickets and football don’t mix in weather conditions that exist in the region, especially West Gippsland, unless they are given extremely close and time consuming (therefore expensive) attention.

The relocation of the turf wicket to the oval to be developed on the western side of Tarwin St, opposite Western Park, should be a winwin for both sports.

Somewhat ironic, therefore, that the three grounds where Gippsland League finals will be played all have turf cricket wickets.

They might get a bit slippery if it rains on game days but don’t become bogs like at Western Park because of solid grass cover.

Latrobe City also takes great pride in the condition of the three major ovals at Morwell, Traralgon and Moe.

Junior player Will Cole had a big day in the red and black of Warragul on Saturday. He turned out for the Under 18s and then the reserves against Leongatha and was named among the Gulls’ best players in both games.