LEONGATHA and Traralgon applied the finishing touches to the teams that will face off in this Saturday’s Gippsland League grand final with wet and cold training runs on Thursday night.
Leongatha had the luxury of having their whole senior playing group out on the field, the two groups joining together as one for runs, group training drills and goal-kicking during an hour and a half session.
Among those invited to join the Parrots for their final run before Saturday’s big day was pick No.22 in the 2023 AFL Draft, North Melbourne Kangaroo Wil Dawson.
The 200-plus centimetre tall defender has fully recovered from his shoulder injury and was noticeably more bulked up after a season on an AFL program.
“It’s good to come down and have a kick with your mates and be a part of it,” said Dawson in the rooms afterwards.
Leongatha made just the one change at selection table, bringing in talented defender Sam Forrester for his first game since Round 17 against Bairnsdale, but they have named an extended bench including Nick Argento and Jack Ginnane as emergencies should the need arise.
Leongatha also had a solid hit-out at Parrot Park last Saturday, while Traralgon overcame Moe in challenging conditions at the Traralgon Recreation Reserve in last week’s preliminary final.
Traralgon is relatively unchanged as well but haven’t been prepared to take a risk with creative half forward Kade Ruyters who helped spark the Maroons last Saturday with two early goals. Ruyters is believed to have injured his hand in the contest and has made way for the return of onballer Jordan Cunico who was named in the best players for Traralgon in eight out of the 12 home and away games he played this season.
Traralgon is arguably strengthened by the change, although disappointed to be missing Ruyters.
Leongatha coach Trent McMicking spoke to a packed clubrooms on Thursday night after training, urging everyone to enjoy the opportunity that playing in the last game of the year presented because you never know when the next one will come along.
He said Leongatha had played an unprecedented 43 players in the senior side during the year, as a result of injury and unavailability, including the promotion of several Under 18 players, something that would hold the club in good stead in future years.
He thanked all those players for their role in getting the senior team into the grand final.
Leongatha also selected a strong “development squad”, as Leongatha likes to call their Reserves and they’ll face quite a challenge against Bairnsdale who comfortably overcame Maffra in last Saturday’s preliminary final.
Leongatha’s netball coaches Alicia Marshman and Kate Sperling named unchanged teams for their grand finals against Maffra and Traralgon respectively.
The action starts at the Morwell Recreation Reserve at 8.30am for the Under 13 netball, 11am for the Under 17s and 12.30pm for the Leongatha Reserves and 2.20pm for the Leongatha Seniors.
It’s interesting to note that this will be the first time in 24 years that neither Sale nor Maffra’s seniors or reserves are not featuring on this grand final day in the Gippsland League. Their results, provided by Liam Durkin editor of the Latrobe Valley Express, are as follows:
2000 - Maffra and Sale not in grand finals
2001 - Maffra reserves premier
2002 - Maffra seniors and reserves premiers
2003 - Maffra seniors premier
2004 - Maffra seniors and reserves premiers
2005 - Maffra seniors runner-up
2006 - Maffra seniors premier/Sale seniors runner-up and reserves premier
2007 - Maffra seniors premier and reserves runner-up/Sale seniors runner-up
2008 - Sale seniors premier
2009 - Maffra seniors premier
2010 - Maffra seniors premier/Maffra reserves runner-up
2011 - Maffra reserves premier
2012 - Sale seniors premier and reserves runner-up
2013 - Sale seniors runner-up
2014 - Maffra reserves runner-up
2015 - Maffra reserves premier
2016 - Maffra seniors premier
2017 - Maffra seniors runner-up
2018 - Maffra seniors and reserves runners-up
2019 - Maffra seniors and reserves premiers
2020 - no competition
2021 - no competition
2022 - Sale seniors and reserves runners-up
2023 - Sale reserves runner-up
