Gippsland Football League grand final review

By Ken Moore
DROUIN experienced its second consecutive Gippsland league grand final defeat after a 14-point loss to Traralgon at Morwell on Saturday.
In front of more than 4000 spectators, the Hawks were gallant in defeat, but a slow start in the first and last quarters proved costly.
The quality of Maroons spearhead and former AFL Geelong listed Dan McKenna, who led and marked well and kicked eight goals, set the two teams apart. He was deservedly awarded the Stan Aitken medal for best on ground.
Drouin included key forwards Adam Cook and Cam DeGooyer, both sidelined with injury in recent weeks while Traralgon coach Josh Jennings and Gippsland Power stars Tim Membrey and Hayden Hector, who did not play in their second semi final victory over the Hawks came into the Maroon line up.
Traralgon used the ball better in the opening quarter of an hour, and with three goals by McKenna, whose aerial skills troubled the Drouin defence, the Hawks fell 22 points in arrears, and their winning chances looked bleak early. Midway through the term, the Hawks lifted and gained traction in the game with goals by Cook, after a good mark, and ruckman Bob McCallum with a well-educated snap. Soon afterwards, the busy Pat McGrath split the big sticks to trim the deficit to only five points at the first change.
Drouin hit the front when McGrath kicked his second goal at the four-minute mark of the second quarter, but a fourth McKenna goal, after a canny snap by the lanky forward restored the lead for the minor premiers. The Hawks replied with goals by exciting Gippsland Power Tiwi Islander Anthony Tipungwuti and Aaron Coyle to hold a seven-point advantage before a major by Traralgon coach Josh Jennings, who was kept quiet for a good deal of the first half by Sam Proctor, saw the scores all tied-up at the main break.
In a frenetic start to the third quarter, both teams traded three goals apiece. Three times Traralgon drew six points clear only for Drouin to respond and level the score. However, midway through the term Traralgon enjoyed a good 10-minute spell and kicked four of the last five goals of the quarter. While Chris Dunne posted his first six pointer for the Hawks, two more goals by McKenna, a major by Nick Quenault and a late goal by Jackson Hall, all be it with a lucky bounce gave the Maroons a handy 16-point buffer at three quarter time.
The early stages of the final-quarter would determine the victor and goals by the Maroons Mark Collison, who played senior football with VFL team Frankston this season and Membrey, who entered the game under an injury cloud, put Traralgon 29 points to the good and well on track for the flag inside five minutes. The Hawks kept coming and while Dunne and DeGooyer both kicked two goals each, the irrepressible McKenna also notched another two goals to keep Drouin at an arm’s reach. The Hawks had their chances to claw closer in the last five minutes, but two shots on goal by the lively Tipungwuti and another by Dunne all drifted wide of the big sticks.
McKenna showed class and his eight goals was a record for the Maroons against Drouin. Another agile forward Sam Dunbar, now well over 30 years of age and who also returned to the club last season presented well across the forward line to be awarded the umpires medal. Captain Sam McCulloch and fellow veteran Jamie Aitken offered sound defence; rover Danny Campbell and wingman Jackson Hall provided terrific drive and Michael Geary produced many searching runs in the second half. Ruckman Justin Fulton nullified the influence of his Hawk counterpart Bob McCallum, while forwards Collison and Michael Burge and Tim Johnston who set up many attacks with his run out of defence all made vital contributions.
“I was praying for the finish in the last five minutes,” said a relieved first year Traralgon coach Jennings on the winning podium, where he offered praise to Drouin saying, “they were well drilled and well coached, but we were the better side on the day.”
For Drouin, midfielders Pat McGrath and 2011 league best-and-fairest Andy Soumilas ran hard and rustled up the possessions all match, Chris Dunne and Cam DeGooyer presented well across the half forward line and Tipungwuti provided spark inbursts. Proctor, Daniel Barrand and Daniel Jackson worked hard in and around the midfield and David Olson, Wayne Morris and Damian Carmody stymied a number of Maroon advances at crucial times.
“We tried hard but just didn’t perform to our best on the day,” a dejected Drouin coach Ben Soumilas said moments after the game finished.
The reserves and under 18 games both produced upset results. Maffra comfortably accounted for the minor premiers, Leongatha by 46 points with Tom Tudor winning the AFL Victoria medal. In the thirds, Traralgon beat the previously undefeated Bairnsdale by 25 points in a high quality game with Maroon forward Dylan Loprese, who kicked seven goals winning the VCFL best-on-ground medallion. An if not for a goal by Sale with the last kick of the game that gave the Magpies a five-point victory over Bairnsdale, the under 16s match would have also seen a surprise victor. Sale’s Bohdi Walker, who had a taste of senior football this season, won the AFL Victoria medal in the fourths.