Leongatha sets the tone from the outset
The road to finals got tougher for Warragul after its loss to Leongatha at Western Park on Saturday.
Although Leongatha, a loser only twice this season, went into the match a clear favourite the Gulls were expected to throw down a challenge with its place in the “five” that they’d snatched a week earlier at stake.
The first quarter put paid to any Warragul thoughts of causing an upset.
Leongatha kicked 6-3 to 0-4 to put a big gap between the sides and another goalless quarter by the Gulls – the last – saw Leongatha comfortable 14-15 to 5-10 winners.
The middle two quarters revived Warragul hopes somewhat.
It got back within 28 points by three-quarter time and had opportunities to be even closer. Inaccuracy near goals plagued the Gulls. Key forward Brayden Fowler has had his troubles taking full advantage of his opportunities to goal for a number of weeks and was off target again on Saturday.
He had supporters groaning when he missed from no more than a couple of metres out at a time when the Gulls were clawing their way back into the contest.
There were three changes to the Warragul team that downed Traralgon a week earlier.
Micky Coombes and Dylan Proctor were both out due to hamstring tightness and Matthew Ross was unavailable.
Sam Russell and Nic Mulqueen returned from injury and experienced Leigh Sheehan also came into the line-up.
Warragul’s pressure, a key factor in its fivegame winning run before Saturday, was missing as Leongatha made its quick start.
The Parrots dominated possession, ruckman Ben Willis in command.
They moved the ball quickly and their captain Cade Maskell capitalised kicking three of his four goals for the game in the early stages.
He and star forward Chris Dunne booted nine goals between them for the game.
Playing an extra man behind the ball helped the Gulls stabilise the contest in the second quarter but they were still well behind – 38 points – at half time.
They outscored Leongatha 3-2 to 1-4 in the third term but wasted chances to be much closer.
The Parrots took control again in the final term, Warragul managing only four behinds while they added 5-5.
Gulls on-baller Nate Paredes was on the sidelines for the last quarter after a heavy knock off the ball concussed him.
Paredes gets plenty of attention from opposing teams.
But there is a case that he, and some of the other better players in the league, don’t get the protection they should from umpires.
Paredes had been an effective contributor, as usual, until injured.
The Gulls better players on the day were Nic Stevenson at centre-half forward and in the ruck, backmen James Davidson, Matt Rennie and Jake Hughes, and on-ballers Kim Drew, Mitch Nobelius and Paredes.
Drew kicked two of the five goals with Fowler, Nobelius and Tyssen Morrow getting the others.
Warragul has next week off, the first weekend of a split round, ahead of a home clash with top of the ladder Maffra.