WGLFL round 19 preview

By Ken Moore
IRRESPECTIVE of results in this week’s final homeandaway round the top five is set. For all teams except Sale and Morwell, which are vying for third place and the double chance, scores this week are academic.
Warragul will take a 90minute trek down the highway to meet Sale, which can be displaced from third if it loses and Morwell wins against Maffra. But that combination is at long odds and the top five positions should remain unchanged.
After seven consecutive wins Sale has come back to earth with two successive losses. Bruised and battered from its previous encounter with Maffra, perhaps it was not surprising that its intensity waned in the last half against Traralgon last week. The young Gulls have plenty of leg speed but will not worry the Magpies in the physical department. Warragul talls Ash Green, young ruck Bernard Jones, Paul Wallin and Paul McNally have impressed in recent matches and provided a good spine that the Gulls can build upon next season. Shane Fyfe returned to the Magpie team last week and should be better for the run. Sale has far too much striking power and should tune up for the qualifying final rematch against Traralgon with a resounding victory.
Garfield will welcome Traralgon to Beswick Street. There may be little riding on this match other than pride, but don’t let that fool you as this will be the match of the round. Traralgon took until the last five minutes of its first clash to shrug off the Stars and will be well aware of Garfield’s capabilities. The Stars left their charge at the finals too late but it have an innate will to win and will do its utmost to show Traralgon that it was worthy of a spot in the top five. With Mal McKenna in form and Matt Cunningham’s return and the imposing form of young ruck Tom Marsh the Stars now field a balanced side across all lines. Traralgon played its best football for the season last week and showed that it has the best midfield and greatest depth apart from Maffra. The only concern for the Maroons is a hamstring injury to key forward Paul McCulloch. Traralgon will be desperate to enter the finals with momentum and this desire and its superior talent should get it across the line, but only just.
An injuryriddled Morwell will host Maffra. Morwell showed plenty of grit last week to topple Leongatha after suffering a spate of injuries midmatch. Ruck Don Webb (ribs), key defender Michael J. Duncan (AC joint), Devon Soutar and Shannon Russell (both hamstrings) all looked likely to miss. On a positive note Luke Franklin, who will be well in contention for the Tigers’ bestandfairest award, will return after being sidelined with illness last weekend. Morwell arrested a minislump last week but Maffra is too bigger hurdle and the Tigers looked consigned to the elimination final against Moe, which has the bye this week. Maffra showed no sign of complacency and beating Garfield last week by 10 goals was a top effort considering the Stars were playing for their season. Andrew Gieschen missed last week with the flu and will return to add further potency to the Eagle juggernaut. A big win coming up for the triple premiers.
Drouin will be out to erase the memories of last week’s insipid display against Moe, which was its lowwater mark for the season. The magnitude of the Hawks’ loss suggested the end of the season cannot come quickly enough. Mick Fogarty is a proud coach and his charges will be stung by the big loss and a form reversal can be expected. It was hard to evaluate Leongatha’s form last week. Either the Parrots put in a good effort to nearly snatch a victory over Morwell or they put in a poor effort against an injurydepleted team. Their previous form, a narrow and unlucky loss to Garfield, was good and, if they reproduce that, they will be far too accomplished for the young Hawks.
Selections: Drouin v LEONGATHA, Morwell v MAFFRA, Garfield v TRARALGON, SALE v Warragul.