Scoreboard not a true guide to Gulls’ effort
The scoreboard might look ugly – a 99-point loss – but Warragul was a bit better than that for most of the game at Maffra on Saturday.
What was always going to be a tough assignment taking on the undefeated ladder leaders on their home ground was made worse by Maffra booting 10 goals from the 15-minute mark of the last quarter that stretched to 33 minutes.
It gave the Eagles a 25-9 to 9-6 victory.
Until that stage the Gulls, although never looking likely to win, had made Maffra work hard and were only about six goals adrift.
Warragul had a good start to the final term kicking four goals, the most it scored in any quarter.
But when the floodgates started to open, and any chance of pushing towards a possible although improbable victory, the heads appeared to drop.
The defeat, although not unexpected – the Gulls haven’t won at Maffra for more than 20 years – has made the next fortnight critical if they are to challenge for a finals position.
They need to win against Sale, at home at Western Park next Saturday, or at Bairnsdale the following week to stay in genuine contention.
Victory in one of those would give it four for the year and it normally takes a minimum of nine wins to make finals.
The Gulls’ task was made even more daunting on Saturday when it had to make six changes to the previous game’s line-up through injuries or unavailability.
Defender Nic Stevenson was a late withdrawal due to a hip injury.
Maffra had the edge throughout the match but Warragul wasn’t swept aside, not until the last half of the final quarter.
The effort until then against the clear premiership favourite may have taken a toll.
But the Gulls need to be able to settle down and find a way to stall momentum when an opposition gets a run on.
Saturday was the second week in a row, admittedly against top level sides Maffra and Leongatha, that the Gulls have conceded 11 goals in a quarter.
Jake Hughes who has found his better form in the past few weeks, youngster Kim Drew, Nic Mulqueen, Tom Muir, Jack Deen and Tyssen Morrow were some of the better performers for Warragul.
Deen, promoted to the seniors for Saturday, had a tough job on Maffra forward Daniel Bedggood but the seven goals to Bedggood was more a reflection of the flood of opportunities he received especially late in the match when some “cheapies” were on offer.
Four Eagles’ forwards contributed all but two of their sides goals.
As well as Bedggood’s seven, talented youngster Kade Renooy helped himself to six and Mitch Bennett and Ben Brunt each finished with five goals against their names.
Warragul’s goals were kicked by Brayden Fowler and Luke Di Ciero, three each, Tyssen Morrow (two) and Nate Paredes (one).