THE Gippsland League has filtered out the haves from the have-not’s to now reach the finals.
A quartet of teams will take to the field this weekend for the first week of the post-regular season.
Sale has earned the double-chance, and is up against Wonthaggi in the Qualifying Final. The winner of this match will face Leongatha the following week to determine the first team to make the decider.
On Sunday, local rivals Traralgon and Morwell face-off in a cut-throat Elimination Final. Only one can be left standing to progress through and play the loser of the Sale/Wonthaggi match.
Finals are always an exciting time of year, and regardless of sport, the opportunity is there to create lasting memories.
Just a word of advice – don’t lose an Elimination Final in triple extra time. (Yes, I did cry that day).
SALE has Wonthaggi to deal with.
The Magpies will be aiming to cause a Power outage when both teams make their way to Morwell Recreation Reserve.
Discounting the cancelled seasons, Sale is into its third consecutive finals series.
Like 2018 and 2019, the Magpies head into the finals after finishing the regular season in the top three.
Unlike 2018 and 2019 however, the Magpies head into this year’s finals series with a healthy list.
The Magpies’ playing stocks were completely decimated in their last finals series, leading to a straight-sets exit.
Not wanting to suffer a repeat performance, those behind the scenes at Sale made a clear focus this year to ensure issues surrounding depth were well covered.
The work looks to have paid off, as for the first time since 2014, Sale has its seniors and reserves in the finals.
Local spectators could still see a Sale versus Maffra final this year, if the Magpie reserves win their Elimination Final on Sunday and the Eagles drop their Qualifying Final against Wonthaggi.
Key Sale players Shannen Lange, Kane Martin and Ryan Pendlebury did not play last weekend, and the trio are expected to be brought straight back into the senior side tomorrow.
In terms of form, the Power has won both its matches against the Magpies this season, although the most recent encounter was only decided by a point.
On that basis alone, and the fact both teams won 12 games this season, the margin shouldn’t be much higher than 15 points either way.
Sale might hold a slight advantage of playing at the same venue two weeks in a row, but Wonthaggi will be feeling fresh following a bruise-free game against Moe.
Power coach Jarryd Blair did not play last week, nor did Ryan Sparkes, who was spotted doing sprints the morning of the match, clearly with one eye turned to making sure he was at absolute peak fitness for the Qualifying Final.
Sale playing-coach Jack Johnstone may go head-to-head with Blair, in what looms as an enthralling midfield contest.
The likely contrasting game styles of both teams also adds an intriguing dimension to the match.
The Magpies, having built their game around absolute toughness and physicality around the contest, are up against a Power outfit full of explosive medium-sized players who like to move the ball in a methodical fashion.
Given Sale’s likely height advantage from the likes of Will and Jack Leslie, Daine McGuiness, Brad Dessent and Mitch Bown, Wonthaggi may look to go around the pressure rather than through it.
If that is the case, the Magpies will need to ensure they cause enough delay to force the Power into bombing long inside 50.
Once that happens it should play right into Sale hands, especially if the ball hits the deck given their physicality.
Going back the other way, Sale has the luxury of not needing to be perfect in order to score, as Dessent remains a dangerous option inside 50 for a bail-out kick from 80 metres away if worse comes to worse.
With the winner to meet Leongatha, great interest will be attached to just how either side shapes up to the flag favourites.
In the eyes of most, Sale is the team most capable of handing the Parrots their first loss for the year, while Wonthaggi looks its best ever chance of winning the premiership – even more than it did when it made the Grand Final in 2014.
LOCAL rivals Traralgon and Morwell meet on Sunday.
It is set to be an Elimination Final of grand proportions between two sides, who dispense with all pleasantries once they cross the white line.
The Maroons and Tigers have each shared a win this season, and the margins are usually tight whenever they compete.
Morwell took the last available spot in finals last week after an epic win over Sale, while Traralgon easily disposed of Maffra.
Just how much effort and emotion that performance took out of the Tigers remains to be seen, and there is bound to be those who believe backing up to play Traralgon in a final on their home deck will be one hurdle too many.
