By Ken Moore
FOR the first time since it returned to the Gippsland League, Drouin made it two wins on the trot to start the season after it ground out a hard-fought 33-point away victory over Traralgon on Saturday.
The Hawks led at every change and appeared to have the measure of the Maroons, but it was not until the last quarter before the visiting supporters could relax.
Plenty of hard knocks were handed out and both teams will be grateful for this week’s Easter break to rest their bodies.
Undersized ruckman Damian Carmody won more than his fair share of the ball and doubled as another midfielder, to be the most effective player on the field. Daniel Barrand and Andy Soumilas raked in the disposals and fellow midfielder Sam Proctor, as usual, did the little things that often go unnoticed.
Dean Woodhead led and marked well and kicked five goals, coach Ben Soumilas bagged four and this pair were the two most productive forwards on the ground.
Traralgon half-backs Kym Harrold and Michael Burge were a force all game, Jackson Hall figured prominently in the first half and rover Danny Campbell was his ever-busy self.
Agile utility Dan McKenna kicked three goals and threatened to tear the Drouin defence apart, but blotted an excellent game with some poor kicking on goal, which yielded another eight behinds.
MORWELL chalked up a 42-point victory over Warragul. The young Gulls plugged away all game but did not unduly trouble the physically stronger Tigers.
Morwell rover Jake Roe-Duggan exhibited good speed and vision and showed he was on the verge of becoming one of the competition’s best ball winners with a fine game.
Midfielders Tim Ryan, Manny Johnston and Michael “Funky” Duncan spotted up targets all match, Daniel Hutchison steered through four goals and Jason Stevens anchored the defence.
Warragul started regular forward Tom Carey in defence and he played with a poise that belied his young age. Midfield debutant Ryan Buttner came up from the under-18s and did not look out of place in the seniors. He lent good support to Jarred Drew, who also found plenty of the ball and worked forward to register three majors.
Matt Gray and Mark Bradley both shared the ruck duties and were never too far away from the action and Josh Helliwell played with polish and launched a number of attacks off the half back line.
WONTHAGGI copped a 95-point hiding from Sale.
The Power tried hard over all four quarters but it brought little reward for large segments of the match. The Magpies simply had too much class. Ex-St Kilda utility Matt Ferguson won the goalkicking honours for the round with 12 and the Power had no answer to his strong marking and ability to find space.
Brendan Rathnow and Kain Martin (three goals each) made it a potent Magpie attack and Jordan Dessent, Jamie Sweeney, Stuart Anderson and Kane Fraser pumped the ball forward on a regular basis.
New Wonthaggi coach Leigh McDonald hit the packs hard, back pocket Cam Jones offered good resistance, Gippsland Power squad member Justin Blair was creative and Earl Shaw held his own in the ruck while Gormandale recruit Andrew Winter impressed with four goals.
LEONGATHA was desperately unlucky to be collared late by Maffra in their Saturday night clash.
The Eagles trailed all game until a goal by Pat Jones with only 20 seconds to go, saw the reigning premiers steal the lead and hold on to victory. As is common for many a game played on a dewy night under lights, the match was a largely scrappy affair and both teams delivered a spate of errors.
Maffra’s Ben Batalha played a commanding game from behind the centre and was, without any shadow of doubt, best on ground. He had a strong support crew around him led by on-ballers Kelvin Porter and Sam Walker and running half-backs Dan O’Brien and Shaun Bates. Daniel Bedggood presented well in front of the big sticks and drilled home five goals.
Leongatha was bitter after the match. It led by 20 points late in the second quarter and had it not missed six gettable shots on goal in the first half it should have forged a lead big enough to win before Maffra issued its challenge.
New recruits, midfielder Beau and half-back Zac Vernon, both played an instrumental role, Jack Hughes stifled many Eagles advances and Dylan Westaway and Julian Stone drove the ball forward with intent all game.
A HUGE crowd at Bairnsdale on Sunday witnessed the home side win its second game in the GL when it disposed of Moe by 27 points.
After an even first half, the Redlegs crept four goals ahead in the third term and were assisted when Lion stars Ryan Donaldson and Gary Blandford were sent from the ground late in the quarter for dissent, which led to the visitors playing for a quarter of an hour with only 16 players.
The Lions pressed hard in the last quarter but could not make up any ground on the scoreboard.
Bairnsdale opportunist small forward Shaun Ryan dobbed six goals, captain and key forward James Gibbs chimed in with five, former Maffra spare parts man Reagan Kyle, ex-Kooweerup tall Simon Biszko and plucky small Justin Blair, all made their presence felt.
For Moe, Ryan Donaldson starred with six goals and his former Beaconsfield team mate Ben Collins propelled the ball forward often, while Tom Long, Troy Makepeace and Peter Ainsworth mopped up in the back sector.
Round 3
Easter Saturday
Wonthaggi v LEONGATHA
On Saturday 30 April
Warragul v SALE
MAFFRA v Drouin
TRARALGON v Moe
MORWELL v Bairnsdale
