Hawks search for first win
Drouin’s reserves will have to keep looking for their second win of the season after going down to Morwell.
A scoreless first term meant the Hawks were forced to try and work their way back into the game for the last three quarters. But it just proved to be too much, losing 6.3 (39) to 14.16 (100).
Jake Simpson kicked two for Drouin, while their opponents were able to find more ways to score as Callum Hutchison kicked four and Liam Smit kicked three.
A good second term was the highlight for the Hawks where they bounced back from their poor start by kicking three goals to one, but outside of that quarter they were thoroughly outclassed and outplayed.
Drouin remain on the bottom of the table following the result, and will find things very tough next week against the dominant Leongatha.
Will Rumble, Sam Mowbray, Jake Simpson, Jed Bethune, Sam Clebney and Rowan Drake were Drouin’s best, while Callum Hutchison, Lachlan Tactor, Riley Tripodi, William Clare and Brendan Briggs played well for Morwell.
In other results, Warragul struggled to score against Maffra losing 2.3 (15) to 14.9 (93), Leongatha obliterated Moe 30.11 (191) to 3.0 (18), Sale kicked straight to overcome Traralgon 13.4 (82) to 7.11 (53) and Wonthaggi thrashed Bairnsdale 18.17 (125) to 5.7 (37).
Drouin’s thirds had yet another close game, this time ending up on the wrong side of the ledger as they fell to Morwell’s thirds.
The game saw the lead change hands multiple times, before Morwell consigned the Hawks to a 7.7 (49) to 8.4 (52) defeat.
Drouin’s Jacob Kleeven was the top goalkicker for the game, ending up with three as the Hawks played their third consecutive game decided by under a goal, with the team only able to win one of them.
Had the other two gone their way, Drouin could very well be nestled in the top five. Instead they find themselves two games outside it.
Cody Fleming, Ethan Busse, Thomas Young, Ethan Nalder, Cemeron Caddy and Jacob Kleeven were Drouin’s best.
Alex Lovison, Moni Eliaser, Tew Jiath, Levi Dalziel and Rhys Porter played well for Morwell.
Around the grounds in the thirds, Warragul enjoyed a strong win over ladder leaders Maffra 7.14 (56) to 3.6 (24), Moe defeated Leongatha 7.9 (51) to 3.6 (24), Traralgon accounted for Sale 13.5 (83) to 7.7 (49) and Bairnsdale thumped Wonthaggi 12.13 (85) to 2.5 (17).
Warragul’s fourths have won an absolute thriller over Maffra to tighten their grip on third spot.
Jasper Alger put in a complete performance up forward, ending up with seven for the game to drag his side over the line 9.14 (68) to 10.4 (64).
The match was a tight one for most of the day, though the Gulls did manage to build a 13-point lead going into the final term.
Warragul’s lead could have been even more if not for some poor goalkicking, something that Maffra were having few issues with.
The Eagles pushed hard in the final term, managing three goals, though a single final quarter goal was enough to see the Gulls get home.
It was a significant win given Maffra is one of just two sides above the Gulls, who are now four points clear in third place on the ladder and looking like one of the contenders in this year’s competition.
Warragul’s strongest players were Jasper Alger, Alby Phillips, Oliver Wilson, Levi Moore, Heath Jinks and Xavier Olsson.
Zachary O’Keefe, Jayke Andrews, Samual Richards, Max Stobie, Brodie Tohara and Jack McQuillen were Maffra’s better performers.
In other fourths results, Drouin enjoyed a strong win over Morwell 12.16 (88) to 6.4 (40), Leongatha just barely pipped Moe 9.4 (58) to 7.14 (56), Traralgon beat Sale 10.12 (72) to 3.5 (23) and Bairnsdale had the bye.