High scoring order of the day
Results were as predicted with no surprises in round 15 of Mid Gippsland football.
Weather conditions were vastly different from the previous week with big scores the order of the day.
Panthers retain trophy
Yarragon retained the Waterloo Trophy over Trafalgar in a high scoring shootout with an aggregate score of 184 points, the Panthers winning 1414 (98) to 13-8 (86).
It was a highly entertaining match with the lead changing at each of the three breaks, Yarragon at first with a three point lead then Trafalgar came back to regain an nine point lead at half time.
Trafalgar were playing at their top and it took a supreme effort by Yarragon in the third and with the wind that sprung up were able to boot 8-5 (53), which some believers said was the best quarter of football Yarragon have played all season.
The Panthers not only attacked but they defended as well, keeping the Bloods to only one point for the term and at three quarter time the Panthers were in celebration mode.
Trafalgar renowned for coming back had use of the wind in the last quarter and could have easily surpassed Yarragon but fell short by 12 points in a dramatic quarter where Trafalgar added 6-3 to Yarragon’s 1-4.
The pressure was on Yarragon as Trafalgar fought hard to gain ground but in the end Yarragon stood tall and won their fifth match for the season and importantly retaining the Waterloo Trophy.
Ben Damschke back after a spell was the main Trafalgar destroyer with his strong play through the centre, Damian Mann around the sticks booted six against his former club, equalling Brendan Kingwill (1991) and John Allsop (1996) as the top goal kickers against Trafalgar. Tim Milner played a good defender’s role.
Trafalgar had plenty of targets up forward with eight players sharing their tally in Trafalgar’s highest score for the season.
Blues lose chance
Thorpdale blew away any chances they had of getting into the finals.
A win over the Tigers would have been a good tonic but it was not to be as second placed Mirboo North ran all over the Blues, winning 18-15 (123) to 5-6 (36).
Jesse Giardina, back after injury showed that he is finals ready to cause havoc to opposing defenders, kicking four goals in a good return.
Mirboo North showed their mastery early in the game not allowing Thorpdale to see much action, 8-9 to 2-3 at half time was a clear indication what Mirboo North were about.
The Tigers added a further 10 goals to three after half time to consolidate their second position on the ladder.
Zack Kilgower was in good form around the goals with another five for Mirboo North to retain second position on the goal-kicking list.
The final margin of 87 points showed the difference between a finalist team and a team outside contention as Mirboo North won to retain the St Ellen/Bright Trophy.
East elation turns sour
Morwell East were elated after the first quarter results were posted which saw them leading by one point over Yinnar, the team they beat by one point in their previous meeting.
But elation turned sour as Yinnar started the second with a goal within 30 seconds. Yinnar hit the front and there they stayed for the rest of the match on the way to winning 13-16 (94) to 8-14 (62).
Morwell East struggled on the forward line and they couldn’t conjure a multiple goal scorer as Yinnar with Damian Yates, substituting for Tim Aitken up forward was able to score five goals on a good day for football.
Morwell East missed the opportunity to score goals and this is where they’ll need to practice on as it looks to be another meeting with Yinnar in the elimination final.
With both team suffering many injuries it’s going to be survival of the fittest come finals time.
Demons bomb out
It took Boolarra 33 minutes to score their first goal against Yallourn-Yallourn North, and it had been 143 minutes since the Dees had scored a goal (the previous week they only scored two behinds).
Yallourn-Yallourn North on the other hand were able to build up a sizable lead and kicking off with a 4-6 first term wasted a huge opportunity to really build up a big score.
Dean MacDonald was doing well up forward for Yallourn-Yallourn North and his efforts of five goals could have been more but unselfish play saw him offload chances to give team mates an opportunity to get on the scoresheet.
Good news for the Bombers was their three best were players that have worked their way through the ranks, Dylan Bath, Darcy Price and Tyler Brown. Boolarra only bright light was Matt Coutts up forward with four goals from limited opportunities.
Yallourn-Yallourn North ran out winners 16-15 (111) to Boolarra 5-2 (32).
Bulldogs give lesson
Newborough retained the Byrne/Fanning trophy after showing Hill End how to play football, the league leaders showed no mercy on the minnows crushing them by 164 points, 30-12 (192) to 5-2 (32).
It was the Doggies biggest score of the season and their highest ever over Hill End, beating the previous record of 27-17 (179) in 1988.
They started off with 6-4 to nil and then kept punishing the Mountainmen adding a further seven in the second, eight in the third and then in a great effort in the final term posted another nine to break the record.
Luke Mulqueen and Thomas Wilson with four each led the brigade of 14 goal kickers. Ben Rotherham scored three for Hill End.