RELATED: Hawks hold on to win elimination final
MAFFRA overcame an injury-plagued Traralgon side in its Gippsland League football qualifying final to book a semi-final date with league powerhouse Leongatha next Saturday.
The Eagles defeated the Maroons 11.23 (89) to 8.7 (55) in a game which was delicately poised until three-quarter-time at Morwell.
The Eagles were playing in memory of club vice-president, and former president, Jack Vardy, who died last week. A life member and member of the Eagles’ hall of fame, Vardy had been involved in the club since 1962.
Maffra was strengthened by the inclusion of captain Sam Pleming, David Adams, Kel Porter and Gippsland Power player Kade Renooy.
Pleming was outstanding in defence before moving forward in the final term, kicking two goals.
Trent Knobel dominated the ruck, setting-up the play for Porter and Danny Butcher, who controlled the centre clearances.
Jarryd Clohesy, Winston Gieschen and Sam Walker also made strong contributions for the Eagles, while Andrew Petrou was the leading goal kicker, booting three.
Jordan Bourke, Haydn Hector and Jason Winderlich were the Maroons’ best players.
Traralgon playing coach Mark Collison said his team would learn from the result.
“We were right in the game until the last quarter and unfortunately they got the better of us in the last quarter, which was disappointing,” Collison said.
Collison said his side picked up four injuries during the game, but refused to blame them for the result.
“There’s no excuses in injuries, we expected to win in the last quarter and we didn’t play the footy we wanted to,” he said.
“But we’ll learn from that and get ready for next week.”
The Maroons had a slender one-point advantage at the first change. However, by half-time Maffra had moved into the lead, with the scoreboard reading 5.11 (41) to 5.2 (32) in the Eagles’ favour.
Traralgon’s injury woes meant it was forced to play three quarters without making a change.
“To play three quarters of footy without a bench and stay in the game was an extraordinary show of character, but it’s not an excuse,” Collison said.
The Eagles maintained their nine-point lead at three quarter time, with Maffra leading 8.14 (62) to 8.5 (53).
Maffra mentor Wayne Butcher said he was pleased with the win.
“Obviously Traralgon lost Timmy North and … and we were hoping they might have run out of legs and that’s the way it panned out in the end,” Butcher said.
“We tried to keep ourselves fresh, they were a bit hamstrung but we just focused on what we were doing.”
Butcher said he was looking forward to facing Leongatha in Saturday’s second semi-final, which will also be played at the Morwell Recreation Reserve.
Traralgon will have an extra day to recover and will face Drouin in the first semi-final at Moe on Sunday.
Traralgon got the better of Maffra in the reserves, winning 8.9 (57) to 6.8 (44). The Maroons will play Leongatha in the second semi-final, while Maffra will play Wonthaggi in the knock-out first semi.
In the under 18s, Bairnsdale defeated Moe 8.16 (64) to 5.10 (40), while Traralgon defeated Leongatha 12.9 (81) to 5.8 (38) in the under 16s.
Second semi-final:
Saturday, September 10, at Morwell:
Seniors: Leongatha v Maffra, 2.20pm.
Reserves: Leongatha v Traralgon, 12.30pm.
Under 18s: Traralgon v Bairnsdale, 10.45am.
Under 16s: Moe v Traralgon, 9am.
First semi-final:
Sunday, September 11, at Moe:
Seniors: Traralgon v Drouin, 2.20pm.
Reserves: Maffra v Wonthaggi, 12.30pm.
Under 18s: Moe v Leongatha, 10.45am.
Under 16s: Leongatha v Sale, 9am.
