Premier Parrots scalp claimed in one-point win
A never-say-die Warragul produced a major upset at Leongatha desperately clinging to a one-point lead for the final three minutes.
The Gulls scraped home by the narrowest of margins, 11-7 to 10-12.
A Matt Rennie behind gave Warragul the lead after the Parrots had fought back from a 17-point deficit at three-quarter time to level the scores.
The momentum had swung Leongatha’s way during the term as it tried to avoid a second successive loss.
However, the Gulls withstood the pressure of the final few minutes to win for the first time this year.
The Leongatha ground has not been a happy hunting ground for Warragul – it had not won there since 2008 – but history and reputation meant nothing on Saturday.
With key on-baller Kim Drew sidelined with an ankle problem Warragul went into the game without four of its top half dozen players and the task looked almost insurmountable against a Parrots’ lineup that wasn’t too far from full strength.
Promising young player Sam Fennell was also out of the line-up.
In came Michael Lynn, rewarded for good performances in the reserves, and Will Cole.
A slow start or a bad quarter had been the Gulls’ downfalls in previous rounds but neither raised their heads at Leongatha.
They held slender leads of one and two points at each of the first two breaks then got out to a telling 17point advantage heading into the final quarter.
Ruckman Sam Whibley, only 21 years old, had the better of highly regarded opponent Ben Willis and Matt Ross was the forward spark Warragul had been searching for.
He kicked five of the Gulls’ 11 goals, including three of their four in the first term, in a match-winning performance.
Coach and centrehalf forward Ben Hughes was kept on a tight rein by Leongatha’s Chris Verboon but Ross proved more than a handful for the opposition defence.
Hughes said after the game that his side deserved to win.
“We played smarter football in the wet conditions pushing the ball forward at every opportunity”.
“And we wanted to win more” he said.
However, Hughes said Warragul had also wasted many scoring opportunities within its 50-metre arc.
The win could be the turning point in the Gulls’ season.
They have another tough assignment next Saturday taking on Maffra, no doubt shaken by its loss to Morwell.
They’ll face the contest with some confidence – and a win now under the belt.
As well as the top games by Ross and Whibley, Warragul got good four quarter performances from Mitch Nobelius, Jack Nuttall, Shaun Beecroft and Will Jolley.
But, as Hughes commented, it was a committed effort by all 22 that brought home the premiership points.
Jolley kicked two goals and Luke Di Ciero, Dan Giardina, James Davidson and Nic Mulqueen scored single goals to go with Ross’ five.