Nothing is a certainty in Gippsland League
SENIORS
What a wonderfully strange season it is in Gippsland League.
One round short of the halfway point of the home-and-away season there are plenty of “ifs” about where teams might finish.
And the upsets continued at the weekend.
Drouin’s strong win against Maffra last Saturday added to that list.
Sale leads the way two games clear of the pack on 24 premiership points.
But after then positions really tighten up.
Maffra, Moe and Drouin are on 20 points with Leongatha and Bairnsdale close behind on 16.
Traralgon and Wonthaggi are on 12 points with the bottom two Morwell and Warragul on eight but just two wins out of the “five”.
Injury depleted defending premier Leongatha slipped to 5th, only in the “five” on percentage, after falling short against Moe by 15 points on Saturday.
The Parrots trailed all day but were never right out of the contest.
The formidable list of “outs” continued for Leongatha with James Lloyd, Hayden Browne, Tom Marriott, Chris Dunne, Ben Willis, Pat McGrath and Josh Schelling among the missing.
Bairnsdale hung on to a share of 5th place when it kicked the last two goals of the game to snatch a four-point home victory against Warragul.
Traralgon, on the bottom of the ladder only a fortnight ago, is now just one game from the “five” following its downing of Morwell 6-17 to 2-6 in a scrappy contest at Traralgon.
Importantly for the Maroons it was their second win in a row.
Sale proved far too strong for Wonthaggi that has yet to win away from home this year.
The Magpies kicked 18-9 to 7-9 with full forward Brad Dessent snaring a bag of 10 goals.
Drouin overran Maffra in the second half at Drouin to turn a 15-point half time deficit into a 38-point win to retain its place in the “five”.
The midway point of the season, that will be reached next Saturday, usually gives a solid idea of which teams will play finals, or at least fill four of the five spots. Not this year. Top of the ladder Sale seems almost certain to finish in the “five” unless injury disaster hits but the other places are tossups.
Next week’s round has a lot at stake with several games in the 50-50 category.
No game will be watched with more interest than Maffra versus Traralgon at Maffra.
The Eagles usually hit back hard after a defeat while Traralgon’s push up the ladder will give it confidence for a clash that could define its season.
Fifth and sixth placed Leongatha and Bairnsdale, separated only by percentage, will do battle at Leongatha.
The Parrots will be hoping for some of its wounded to return to bolster its chances although Bairnsdale is yet to win away from its home ground.
The clash at Wonthaggi presents a great opportunity for Drouin but it will have to maintain its best form to get the points.
Wonthaggi’s three wins for the year have all been at home where tricky winds can upset visitors.
For the Hawks a win would have it well on the path towards a possible finals’ appearance. Moe ended a run of three losses when it downed Leongatha on Saturday but can’t afford to drop its guard when it travels to Warragul.
The Gulls have mixed some good with some bad and were a bit unlucky to fall short at Bairnsdale on Saturday.
Sale’s form should have it a clear favourite when it takes on Morwell at Morwell, but the Tigers can surprise, its defeat of Maffra and a 10-goal win over Wonthaggi earlier in the season proof of that.
Matches on Saturday at grounds of first named clubs are:Wonthaggi Drouin. Warragul v. Moe. Leongatha Bairnsdale. Maffra v. Traralgon. Morwell v. Sale. v. v.
A 10-goal “bag” on Saturday to Sale’s Brad Dessent has taken him to the head of the goalkicker ladder.
He overrhauled Bairnsdale’s Brayden McCarrey who missed his side’s game.