THE reigning premiers, Leongatha, have underscored their favouritism for the 2024 Gippsland League Premiership with an all-the-way, 58-point victory over second-placed Moe, in the Second-Semi-final at Leongatha on Saturday.
The Parrots had 30 scoring shots to the Lions’ 12, but such was the all-over pressure from the top side that Moe failed to score a goal in the first half, trailing by 6.7 to four points at the long break, with the game virtually over at that early stage.
It wasn’t all Leongatha’s doing, however. Several Moe players, including Harrison Pepper and Nick Prowse, had good chances to open their team’s account but it wasn’t to be.
If the game wasn’t over at half time, with Leongatha leading by 39 points in a low-scoring affair, it was when Leongatha captain Tom Marriott hit the pack at half forward, came out the other side in the first minutes after the restart and slotted a goal from 35 metres on the run.
Jay Walker, Ben Willis, Cade Maskell in his 150th senior game for the Parrots, and Travis Nash got the ball forward again with Walker on the overlap and Cam Olden ultimately soccerring it through. It stretched the lead to 51 points only minutes into the second half.
Ever alert on the Moe forward line, Harrison Pepper finally got the Lions’ goal tally ticking over with his first, the result of a jumper tug by Leongatha’s Mitch Bentvelzen, before getting a pass over the top from Jacob Balfour for his second, and Moe’s second in a minute.
But Leongatha went on to win the quarter, four goals to two, and continued on in the last to make it a 58-point win in the end.
As a result of Leongatha’s dominance, the level of crowd engagement didn’t reach the heights you’d expect to see and hear for a final, but that certainly didn’t concern the Parrot fans who saw their team secure a place in the 2024 Grand Final at Morwell in two weeks’ time.
Leongatha coach Trent McMicking was delighted with the level of commitment from his players.
“The pressure was off the charts, and I think we’ll find the inside 50s were right up there as well,” said McMicking afterwards.
“If you’re going to be picky, we’d like to have finished off our work a bit better but very pleased, yes.”
Moe went into the game without their classy intercept defender Declan Keilty, who has also spent time forward this year.
The extent of the knee injury he sustained against Traralgon the previous week isn’t clear but there have been reports of a low-grade Meniscus tear that may allow him play in a few weeks’ time, should Moe progress beyond the preliminary final at Traralgon on Saturday, September 14.
For Leongatha, Luke Bowman made a real impact on his return to the senior side, Tom Marriott, Tallin Brill and Kim Drew applied plenty pressure and drive, Tim Sauvarin was a key part of the defence with Sean Westaway returning to his best form back there and both Guy Dickson and Cade Maskell solid.
Jack Hume and Travis Nash were also prominent as were Jake van der Pligt, Jay Walker, Cam Olden, Will Littlejohn and Jarrod Stewart taking a turn in the ruck. But there were no passengers in a performance which strangled the opposition from start to finish.
Final scores Leongatha 13.17.95 defeated Moe 5.7.37.
