By Ken Moore
REIGNING premiers Maffra tumbled out of the top five after a 27-point defeat at Drouin on Saturday.
Little separated the teams in the first half before the Hawks nudged 13 points ahead by three quarter time.
Kicking with the aid of a slight wind in the last quarter, the home side rattled on five unanswered goals inside the opening 10 minutes to put the game to bed.
Drouin has moved into third spot on the table, and is in contention for a double chance ladder position. Hawk midfielders Sam Proctor and Andy Soumilas shrugged off tackles all afternoon and produced a stream of attacks, as did mid-season recruit and another tough nut in Cam de Gooyer, who chimed in with three goals.
Ellinbank recruit Steve Ballingall exhibited good poise and judgment from his wing, small ruckman Damien Carmody threw himself into the fray and Chris Dunne underscored a fine game with four goals.
Maffra half back Josh Stubbe and midfielders Ben Coleman, Kelvin Porter and Gary Jones – along with promising utility Patrick Jones – pushed the ball forward on a regular basis, but the Eagles did not have enough forwards playing their part.
Maffra is now in danger of missing the finals for the first time in over a decade.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:SALE v WARRAGUL
SALE returned to the top of the table after it routed league cellar-dwellers Warragul by 125 points.
The Gulls had no answer to former AFL Saint Matt Ferguson, who feasted out on their defence, kicking 12 goals, which was a super return in horridly windy conditions.
Chris Laverty linked defence with attack, Kain Martin provided his usual spark across the forward line and Corey Scholtes won more than his fair share of disposals in the midfield.
The rot set in early for Warragul, when it conceded nine goals in the first quarter.
The Gulls were well served by Mark Bradley, who played another corker in the ruck in the absence of Matt Gray, while Brenton Sheehan worked overtime in defence and did well to quell many of the wave after wave attacks.
Midfielders Ash Blackwood and Josh Lea tried hard, while in defence Ben Drew and Darcy Brown gave it their all.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:MOE v TRARALGON
MOE climbed back on the roller coaster after a stunning 23-point victory over Traralgon.
The Lions were on the brink of defeat when they trailed by 30 points in the third quarter, before they produced an amazing comeback, kicking the last nine goals to run out comfortable winners.
Moe sits in eighth spot on the ladder, but are only two points adrift of the fifth placed Bairnsdale and is well and truly still in the race for a finals berth.
Coach and midfielder Troy Makepeace was the lifeblood of the Lions, ruckman Chris Hancock generated many telling centre clearances and Stuart Robertson – when swung forward – bagged five goals.
Kain Airdrie and Peter Ainsworth offered their usual stoic defence and debutant Jarrod Thornton played a disciplined game in a tagging role.
For Traralgon, Sam McCulloch smothered Ryan Donaldson, keeping him to only two goals, debutant Jordan Sandy repelled many attacks at centre half back and Jamie Aitken and Matt Jones regularly swept the ball out of defence.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:BAIRNSDALE v MORWELL
BAIRNSDALE jumped into fifth spot on the ladder after a 50-point victory over Morwell.
The Tigers only trailed by eight points in the third quarter before the Redlegs finished the stronger.
Bairnsdale captain and ruckman James Gibbs was the architect of the victory. He instigated many centre clearances and picked up many vital disposals around the ground. Kane Ashwood, Luke Dyer and Darcy Brown were prime movers in the midfield and Michael Preston finished on a high note with three last quarter goals.
For Morwell, Joel Soutar won a ton of kicks, half back Tim Ryan and ruck rover Rob Michaelides found plenty of the ball and distributed it well, while defenders Shane Ryan and Julian Blackford defused many attacks. The defeat put an end to Morwell’s minute finals hopes.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:LEONGATHA v WONTHAGGI
LEONGATHA kept alive its top five prospects with a trying eight point victory over Wonthaggi under lights on Saturday night.
The match only yielded eight goals and incredibly, there was no goals scored after half time. Parrot coach Adrian Campbell described the match as “a real torrid hard slog.”
The low scoring was partly due to a gusty wind and a ground that was heavy underfoot. In fact, on Thursday night, the match was in danger of not going ahead because the ground was under water. Parrot debutant Patty Kindellan, who has been knocking down the door in the twos, relished the conditions and gave the home side plenty of midfield grunt.
Beau and Zac Vernon and Julian Stone forced the ball forward, Ben Geitz provided good drive off the half back line and Chris Verboon closed down Wonthaggi centre half forward Matt Kremmer.
Power captain Leigh McDonald, centreman Tom Gilliland and ruck rovers Lucas White and Paul Brosnan siphoned the ball from the packs and were among the more effective players for the losers.
Wonthaggi sits in fourth spot, still well within reach of a double chance, but such is the even nature of the season, still with plenty of work to do to cement a top five berth.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Round 13 Tips:
Warragul v LEONGATHA
Wonthaggi v DROUIN
MAFFRA v Moe
TRARALGON v Bairnsdale
Morwell v SALE
