Liam Durkin
SALE was too strong for Warragul at home to maintain its undefeated start to the Gippsland League football season.
The Magpies led at every change, running out 13.19 (97) to 4.8 (32) victors.
A six-goal to one third quarter saw the margin out to beyond 50 points and put the game beyond doubt.
Jarrod Freeman kicked three goals for the winners in a solid performance. On-ballers Jack McLaren and Shannen Lange and half-back Mitch Dowse also played well, as did defender Luke Di Ciero against his old side.
Best for Warragul were ruckman Sam Whibley, Matt Ross and Sean Masterson.
The win keeps Sale undefeated and in second position, just behind Moe on percentage.
MAFFRA recorded its first win of the season, turning a four-point three-quarter-time deficit into a 36-point victory.
The visiting Eagles kicked seven goals to none in the final quarter to win 14.6 (90) to 7.12 (54).
Up until then it had been an arm wrestle, with neither side able to break away.
The Maroons looked to be in a position to register their second win of the season, but had to watch as Maffra took over.
The win was the Eagles’ first of the season, and in a remarkable show of how even the competition is in the early stages, took them from 10th to fifth. The win was their seventh consecutive over the Maroons Maffra forward Mitch Bennett led the scoring with four goals, while Ben Brunt kicked three.
The Carr brothers, Ed and Alex, were best afield, along with Danny Butcher and James Read back from injury.
For Traralgon, it was the younger brigade which stood tall, with Tye Hourigan, Jackson McMahon, Ewan Williams, Peter Strong and Tate Marsh among the best, as well as Matt Northe for another week.
Maffra had a debutante on the day in Jonti Schuback. The son of former Adelaide small forward Jacob, the junior Schuback capped off the match with a win and a goal to his name.
EVERYTHING Moe touched turned to gold in the first quarter against Bairnsdale.
The Lions may have caught the Redlegs half asleep from their two-hour drive to Ted Summerton Reserve, as they had two goals on the board in as many minutes, before adding another five by the time the quarter-time siren sounded.
Bairnsdale was never able to recover from there, as the Lions went on their way to a 17.21 (123) to 7.10 (52) victory.
Kristian Jaksch finished with five goals for the Lions, with James Blaser, Harri Sim and Trent Baldi among their best players. Best players for Bairnsdale were Linc Robinson, Simon Deery and Josh Wykes.
WONTHAGGI defeated Morwell at home in a nail-biter.
The Tigers found themselves on the wrong side of a match that could have gone either way for the second week in a row, going down 8.10 (58) to 8.12 (60).
The highest margin at any of the breaks was just eight points, which Wonthaggi took into half-time.
Morwell wrestled back the lead with one term to go, but was caught agonisingly short after both teams kicked two goals in the final stanza.
Cody MacDonald kicked three goals for the Tigers to be among the best players, while Max Linton, Dan Musil and James Jacobsen also played well.
Best players for Wonthaggi were Flynn Anderson, Josh Bates and Toma Huther.
LEONGATHA gave Drouin a touch-up at home. An eight-goal first quarter saw the Parrots blow the game open, and from there they were able to skip away to a 23.12 (150) to 9.11 (65) win.
Aaron Heppell was in devastating form, kicking six goals in a best-on-ground display. Jack Ginnane responded well to his first senior call-up for the season and kicked four goals, while Cam Olden and Chris Verboon also did well.
Chris Robinson, Harry Wans and Matt Stevens battled hard for Drouin.
