Courageous win
It was a courageous win for the Bloods, who after trailing for most of the day snatched a victory late in the game to win by just two points, 7-8 (50) to 7-6 (48).
When one of your key players gets married mid-season and invites a handful of his teammates, it is always going to make life hard for your footy side.
The Magpies to their credit opened up the match well against the Bloods, making the most of their opportunities in what was a relatively even opening term.
The home side’s accuracy proving to be the difference at quarter time, with three goals from four shots on target compared to the visitors one goal from their four attempts.
In the second term Yinnar, started to increase their control of the game extending the 10-point quarter time lead, to double that by half time.
The Bloods, to their credit never gave it up and started to chip away at the lead throughout the third quarter, with a view that they might be in striking distance late in the game.
For Trafalgar, Daniel Puglia, Tyson Leys, Harry Malady, Matthew Swenson, Austin Byrne and Connor Noonan carrying their team mates towards a memorable victory.
With a margin of 11-points in favour of Yinnar and just 20 minutes remaining, the Bloods really had very little room for error.
The match was a relatively low scoring game so every opportunity needed to be taken.
Daniel Hayes finished the day with three of his sides seven majors and Matthew Svenson grabbed himself a couple as well.
In a match that could have gone either way, and in a competition where winning close games like this will prove to be crucial, it was the visitor in Trafalgar that were in front when the final siren sounded.
A gutsy win for a side that has set itself to avoid a repeat of the heartbreaking finish to season 2017, where a one-point loss in the final round cost them a spot in the finals. This year, the Bloods are setting themselves to secure a spot well before the finals even begin. Morwell East v Yarragon This win was as much a reward for the efforts of the weeks prior as it was for the Panthers good work on the weekend, their 10-7 (67) to 6-18 (54) victory a confidence booster for the club.
It seems that every week for the past month, Morwell East had been fronting up for a must win game.
This week was no different, with the Hawks hanging precariously in fifth position on the ladder, and with last years’ premiers Mirboo North snapping at their heels, it was yet another D day as they confronted the Panthers.
Yarragon had pushed two of the best three sides in the competition to within 10-points over the past month and appeared well placed to grab a much-needed win.
A fast start by the visitor had them leading by 17-points at quarter time and with a very strong belief that this was to be their day.
They had no reason to question this at half time either, maintaining that very same lead with some great work by Jake Cropley, Rhys Gleisner, Devin Pollock, Brad Wolfe, Damon Burns and Mitchell Jolly.
The Hawks on their home ground came out with a greater sense of urgency in the third quarter but could not close the gap, their seven shots on goal returning just the one major and Yarragon, through accuracy turning that half time margin of 17 to 29 at three-quarter-time.
There was to be no great escape this week for Morwell East, and their drop from fifth to sixth on the MGFL ladder is now of serious concern for coach Colin King. Hill End v Thorpdale Thorpdale did what good sides do and gave no chance for Hill End to threaten in their 16-17 (113) to 6-4 (40) win
If one thing is certain in this MGFL competition, in fact any competition, is that you are only ever as good as your depth, because as teams find themselves in the middle of a season, they will inevitably also find themselves working around injuries to first choice players.
Only a little bit of luck can change that predicament, and Hill End have not been so fortunate this season.
The Blues assumed control early in this match and never really looked back.
A 20-point lead at quarter time quickly blew out to 41 at half time, the Blues continuing to be well served by Ed Greene, Chris Redl and this week, Brad Atkinson up forward, the trio kicking 14 of the sides 16 goals for the day.
With no real go to forward, Hill End look lost and despite the efforts of Ambu Uliando, Chad Ketchen, Calvin Rees, Josh Hecker and Clay Ketchen, the Rovers were totally over run.
Inaccuracy the only flaw in the visitor’s performance, and the only reason why Hill End, were not totally humiliated.
The Blues are now well placed to play a role at the business end of the season, as we now head to the half way mark of season 2018.
Yallourn-Yallourn North v Boolarra
The Bombers pulled down the pants of the Demons and gave them a good spanking, winning in a breeze, 30-11 (191) to 0-4 (4).
There was every chance this match was always going to be as scary as any horror movie you may have seen in recent years.
A rampaging Bombers side, who are capable of opening sides up in a matter of minutes had four full quarters to strut their stuff against a team that is in the early stages of a complete rebuild. Newborough v Mirboo North Four wins in a row and a spot in the top five is what greeted the Tigers after their four point win over a determined Bulldogs, 9-11 (65) to 9-7 (61).
The game had started pretty much as many expected, Mirboo North appearing to be in control.
There have been many instances however where these two sides have fought out very close games, and with Newborough wanting to retain the Ron Skinner trophy, Newborough rolled up their sleeves and started to grind themselves back into the match.
With a spot in the five and good football under their belt, the Tigers are again proving to be the silent assassins of the MGFL
Milestone match
Trafalgar and Morwell East will contest their 100th match on Saturday.
The clubs have been playing against each other for 45 years with their first match on June 26 1973, which Trafalgar won 20-22 to 10-7.
Trafalgar’s Ray Burgess, who played in that match, said the game was played at Crinigan Road in Morwell and the ground was very hard and lumpy.
“Morwell East had a lot of youngsters then and as it was the club’s first official MGFL match, it wasn’t a bad effort against Trafalgar,” he said.