Live stream: Gippsland Power take on Murray Bushrangers in Coates Talent League boys wildcard clash

Thomas Matthews stepped up when Gippsland needed him most to put the seal on a thrilling Coates Talent League boys wildcard success over the Bushrangers. Check out the REPLAY.

Gippsland Power kicked a goal 90 seconds from the end to finally see the robust challenge of Murray Bushrangers and sneak into week two of the Coates Talent League finals series.

The Power took this wildcard showdown by seven points, but it needed a late, late goal from Thomas Matthews, his second of the match, to secure the 51-44 success.

The Bushrangers led at the first and third breaks and led by seven points with 10 minutes to go.

But they couldn’t sustain their momentum as first Liam Hetherton and then Matthews provided the heroics to keep their season alive.

PREVIEW

Gippsland Power have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of their Coates Talent League boys wildcard finals match against Murray Bushrangers on Sunday.

Skipper and AFL draft hopeful Xavier Lindsay will miss the elimination bout after suffering a PCL injury last week against the Dandenong Stingrays.

“It’s very hard to replace someone like Xavier, but we are confident that we will get some guys in there who will put their best foot forward and give it their best shot,” Power coach Rhett McLennan said.

Catch the action from Latrobe University LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV from midday on Sunday.

Xavier Lindsay will miss the match with injury.

It’s not just his impact on the field which will be sorely missed, Lindsay also provides steady leadership for his teammates.

“It will fall on our vice captains, Will Brent, Asher Eastham, Max Stobie who have done an excellent job as his deputy this year,” McLennan said.

“They will have to step up with their leadership qualities on Sunday as well.”

McLennan admits he doesn’t quite know where to play Eastham.

He was one of the best against the Bushrangers earlier this season, kicking four goals in the 22-point win.

But over the past few weeks he’s been playing in defence, and impressing there, helping the team to three wins from their past five matches.

“He’s been excellent as a defender for the past month and a half,” McLennan said.

“We’ve got some decision to make in selection about where he plays.

“Looking back to his game against Northern Knights a couple of weeks ago, his intercept defensive work was excellent.

Alixzander Tauru will have a big part to play.

“We’ll have to think about where he is best suited, to highlight his skills and what is best for our team.”

The same selection headaches apply to fellow AFL draft prospect Alixzander Tauru.

“He has been getting better and improving his football every week,” McLennan said.

“We may ask him to play a couple of roles throughout the game and it will be really important to us how Alex embraces those opportunities and moments.”

McLennan said it would be important to win to give his potential AFL draft prospects more game time as the footy season draws to a close.

Originally published as Live stream: Gippsland Power take on Murray Bushrangers in Coates Talent League boys wildcard clash