THE Leongatha Under 18s have bowed out of the finals race in 2024 at the hands of a highly motivated Maffra team on a rainy, miserable preliminary final day at Traralgon.
Getting a good start looked like being crucial on a wet day and after a tight opening where both teams kicked a servies of points, it was Maffra which took control with two goals before taking a hard-won 2.4 to 0.2 lead into the first break.
Leongatha came out full of running in the second and equalised with goals to Will Brown and Mich Croatto but straight out of the next centre ball-up, Maffra went into attack and hit back through Archer Watt who marked and kicked a goal from 35 metres with the rain pouring down.
They never looked back, peppering the scoring zone in the run up to half time, while adding another goal to stretch the lead to 19 points at the break.
Maffra continued on in that vein and booted five goals to nil in the third term to put their stamp on a place in the grand final next week against Warragul.
Leongatha played their best footy in the last quarter, with the sting out of the contest it must be said, kicking two goals to one to finish a promising season.
The Parrots were into attack straight after the restart, with Zavier Lamers taking a shot for a point. Jules Calliahan was busy, Hayden Bowler got involved and Kade Berryman was in and under in the teeth of goals and it was Jett Garnham who broke through for the Parrots.
For Leongatha Ben Fort, Ayden Williams, Jhett Brown, Hayden Bowler and Finn Donohue were busy but it was Maffra which answered through Archer Watt collecting from Max Stobie who was a contributor up forward for Maffra.
Leongatha stayed in control for much of the quarter and ultimately produced another goal through Jett Garnham who marked and kicked long for a goal half way through the last quarter,
Best players for Leongatha were Jhett Brown, Nathan Skewes, Hamish Gill, Max Sheahan, Ben Fort, and Aydan Williams but the Parrots were well beaten on the day.
Final scores: Maffra 10.14.74 to Leongatha 4.3.27
