Gippsland: Fight for fifth spot still alive after Sale and Morwell draw

The Gippsland league has been throwing up close results all season with the penultimate round no exception. See the other results from across the weekend.

Morwell and Sale have played their first draw in a result that ensures the make up of the top five will come down to the last round of the season.

The two clubs have been competing against each other since the formation of the Latrobe Valley league 70 years ago, but had never played a draw until last Saturday when they finished tied on 13.9 (87).

Morwell and Sale are scrapping for fifth spot heading into the last round.

Morwell has the tougher assignment against arch rival Traralgon with their clash earlier in the season also ending in a draw.

Sale plays Bairnsdale, which dropped out of finals contention a fortnight ago when it lost to Wonthaggi, which should hang onto fourth spot.

Sale coach Jack Johnstone. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Sale started the last quarter nine points down, but quick goals to Jarrod Freeman and coach Jack Johnstone put them in front.

A running goal from Mitch Dowse handed Sale a six-point lead at the 20-minute mark before Tyler Brown’s third goal for Morwell levelled the scores four minutes later.

In the dying stages, Sale duo Brad Dessent and Cody Henness had set shots from inside 50 metres that failed to score.

MURRAY

Finley went a long way towards sealing a prized second-place finish in the Murray league with a 10-point win against Cobram on Saturday.

Cobram jumped Finley in the first term to lead by 19 points at quarter time before the Cats began their fightback with five goals to one in the second term to take the lead at halftime.

Star midfielder Mark Whiley dominated again for Finley after being sidelined with an ankle injury from early May to mid July and Cobram key forward Jackson Trengove was held to only one goal.

Mark Whiley, right, is starring for Finley in the Murray league. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

The result sent Cobram crashing out of the top six with one round remaining, but had Finley lost there would have been four teams in contention for a top-two spot going into the final round.

Finley must beat Nathalia in the last match to clinch second spot that carries a double chance.

Nathalia is in eighth spot despite beating Mulwala by 35 points with Liam Evans booting five goals for Nathalia.

Mulwala, the premiers of the last two seasons, is sitting sixth level on 40 points with Cobram and two points clear of Nathalia.

Mulwala plays Cobram in the final round.

Numurkah returned to the top six with a 139-point thrashing of Echuca United, but has a tough last round assignment against third-placed Moama.

Deniliquin climbed to fourth spot and is almost guaranteed to play finals by playing out of contention Barooga in the final game.

OMEO DISTRICT

Omeo-Benambra cruised into the grand final with a 98-point demolition of Lindenow South, headlined by a goalscoring spree from its three-pronged forward set up.

The league’s leading goalkicker Harry Warfe booted five goals in the second semi-final in an effort matched by Ryan Harwood.

But the duo was overshadowed by former Bairnsdale key forward James Gibbs, who booted six goals in only his fifth match for Omeo-Benambra this season.

Omeo-Benambra, playing at home, blitzed Lindenow South in the first term when it raced to a 37-point lead at quarter time.

Omeo-Benambra coach Josh Piper has led his team into the grand final. Picture: Supplied

Will Cook, James Cottrell, Ross Ansaldi and first-year coach Josh Piper also starred for Omeo-Benambra, which lost to Swifts Creek in the grand final last year.

Lindenow South must beat Swifts Creek in the preliminary final to earn another crack at Omeo-Benambra in the grand final.

Meanwhile, Bullioh bounced back from its last quarter fade out to Cudgewa in the second semi-final to thrash Tumbarumba in the Upper Murray preliminary final by 124 points.

Jye Hodgkin booted five goals for Bullioh.

OVENS & MURRAY

Corowa-Rutherglen has won its first match since spending the 2023 season in recess with a 13-point win against ninth-placed Wodonga Raiders.

The Roos trailed by 25 points at quarter time, but held Raiders goalless for the rest of the match to record their first win since round 13, 2022 when it beat Raiders by a point.

Homegrown young guns Jedd Longmire and Ryan Eyers starred for Corowa-Rutherglen, which finishes its comeback season against eighth-placed Lavington.

An upset win could see it jump Raiders and avoid the wooden spoon.

Originally published as Gippsland: Fight for fifth spot still alive after Sale and Morwell draw