Drouin losses open door to three others
The door is open for one of Traralgon, Bairnsdale or Morwell to fall into fifth place for the Gippsland League finals.
Drouin can slam the door in their faces, however, if it can find a way to win possibly one more game, perhaps two, in the three remaining rounds.
Drouin still has a two-game buffer in 5th spot despite a fifth successive defeat at the weekend, swept away by Leongatha.
The Hawks’ chances of most of its key absences getting back on the ground are pretty slim and the side will have to lift a lot from recent performances to hang in the “five”.
Traralgon kept in the race when it won well at home against Bairnsdale, 10-15 to 612, on Saturday.
Victory for Bairnsdale would have put it within one win of Drouin and with a better percentage. Morwell also pushed its case when it beat Warragul at Morwell in a dour contest.
The Tigers ended up winning by 15 points after there was little between the teams in the first half.
Like many of the sides, particularly those below the top four on the ladder, Morwell has struggled to kick significant scores.
Its 12 goals against Warragul was its second highest total for the year.
In the face off between 2nd and 3rd Sale, at home, downed Moe and did it much more convincingly than form suggested would be the case – 10-11 to 6-14.
Moe’s forwards were impotent against a Sale side that grabbed the ascendancy across the ground and denied the Lions breathing space.
The Magpies got away to a good start kicking 3-4 to 0-1 in the opening term before an arm wrestle of a second quarter when neither side goaled.
Moe’s score still looked pretty bare - just 1-6 - at threequarter time.
It came home with five goals in the final term but the game was well and truly over by then.
The win has again drawn Sale level on 48 premiership points with Maffra at the head of the table but because of percentage difference the Magpies would need Maffra to lose one of its final three matches to grab top place.
Maffra and Wonthaggi had byes last weekend.
A win for Drouin would just about do the job for it to retain fifth place.
Saturday’s home clash with Morwell is one of its better chances but the Tigers would also be viewing it as a winnable match to keep it in the running and close within one win of Drouin.
Traralgon has rejoined the battle for 5th spot although its season has been a bit of a mystery bag.
Two of the Maroons’ five wins have been against top sides Maffra and Sale but have lost games they were expected to win.
Victory at Warragul on Saturday is a must if Traralgon is to continue its push.
Wonthaggi is struggling at the back end of the season and its longest tip for the year, to Bairnsdale, won’t hold too much appeal for it.
Bairnsdale has had some bad luck with injuries over the year but should keep its push going for at least another week.
The top four on the ladder are involved in the other two games in the round.
Premierships aren’t yet ready to be won but Moe v. Maffra and Sale v. Leongatha will give some handy pointers.
It will be especially interesting to see how the talented Moe bounces back after its poor showing at Sale at the weekend.
Round 16 matches on Saturday at grounds of first named clubs. Drouin v. Morwell. Traralgon v. Warragul. Sale v. Leongatha. Moe v. Maffra. Bairnsdale v. Wonthaggi.