Traralgon beats Morwell by three points in Gippsland league thriller

Traralgon was given an almighty fright from Morwell with a nearby match called off due to lightning. Read the Anzac Day wrap.

Reigning premiers Traralgon has survived an all out from assault Morwell in the dying stages to hang on by three points in a Gippsland league Anzac Day thriller played underlights.

Morwell trailed by 11 points at the last change, but rallied in the final term played mostly in driving rain.

Coach Boyd Bailey started the revival for Morwell with a brilliant, long goal on the run from outside 50m to close the margin to less than a goal before Traralgon champ Tye Hourigan responded from a set shot directly in front.

From the next centre bounce, Bailey was awarded a 50m penalty and made no mistake from 30m out to close the margin to four points at the 10-minute mark.

Morwell coach Boyd Bailey playing for Nightcliff Tigers in the NTFL. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media

In a best-on-ground display, Bailey finished with three goals.

Scoring dried up late in the match as the rain pelted down with the ball living inside the Morwell forward 50m arc for the final stages.

A snap from Blake Couling at the 27-minute mark narrowly missed what would have been the matchwinning goal for Morwell.

The two clubs played out a thrilling draw last year with Traralgon going onto win the flag and Morwell missing finals.

Connor Ambler, Luis D’Angelo, Christopher Williams, who joined Traralgon from Churchill this season, and Tristen Waack played important roles for Traralgon.

The nearby North Gippsland league match between TTU and Rosedale at Tyers was called off at the 14-minute mark of the third term due to lightning.

TTU won by 50 points.

OVENS & MURRAY

North Albury finally buried its Anzac Day hoodoo against Albury with a 69-point demolition job headlined by a starring role from young gun Josh Murphy.

The young forward had the chance to end the Hoppers’ losing streak against Albury on Anzac Day last season, but 12 months later he broke the Tigers’ hearts with a best-on-ground, five-goal haul.

Murphy stepped up in the absence of injured teammate Josh Minogue, who broke his thumb in the opening round.

Goulburn Valley recruit Ben Rigoni also booted two goals as did coach Tim Broomhead.

Layton Taylor was another focal point for the Hoppers, finishing with three goals.

North Albury, which hadn’t beaten Albury on Anzac Day since 2008, busted the match open in the second term, racing to a 42-point lead.

Poor conversion in the third quarter denied North Albury a more dominant position at the last change before slamming on six goals to three in the final term to complete the rout.

Albury has lost its last two matches by a combined 179 points under rookie coach Max Lynch after scraping home against Yarrawonga in round 1.

Myrtleford responded to a shock defeat to Lavington at home on Easter Sunday by downing the previously undefeated Wangaratta by four points.

Former Fremantle forward Matt Taberner booted three goals for Myrtleford and Simon Curtis kicked two crucial goals in the final term.

BENDIGO

Eaglehawk has kept its unbeaten record this season intact with a dominant 37-point win against the previously undefeated South Bendigo at the QEO.

After months of dry weather, the heavens opened in Bendigo and Eaglehawk responded to the conditions better with their seasoned bodies relishing the heavy going.

In his second season with Eaglehawk, former Harcourt ruckman Brayden Frost continued his great start to 2025 continued by being in the Hawks’ best players for the third match in a row.

Up forward, Jack O’Shannessy was a livewire finishing with 3.3 as South Bendigo struggled to find a match-up to apply the brakes to him.

Captain Billy Evans also revelled in the softer going and VFL-listed duo Lachlan Walker and Max Kennedy also had their moments.

South Bendigo was again well served by Tom Brereton, Brody Haddow and Joel Swatton.

NORTH CENTRAL

After a winless 2024, Charlton has downed St Arnaud by nine points with a stirring final quarter effort in tough conditions.

Charlton didn’t score in the third quarter and trailed St Arnaud by nine points at the last change.

But Charlton dominated the stoppages in the final term and peppered the goals, booting 4.2 to 1.2 to record its first win since round 17 two years ago.

Sebastian Zagame finished with three goals as captain Sam Woods starred as did Kangaroo Flat recruit Mitch Collins and Ben Xiriha, who joined the Navvies after playing only one game for Kyneton last year.

Former coach and 2012 Feeny Medal winner James McNamee made a surprise appearance for St Arnaud.

HAMPDEN

Portland stretched its unbeaten start to the season to three matches with a 46-point win against Hamilton at the recently redeveloped Melville Oval.

Portland slammed on seven goals to one in the opening term to take control with another player who has returned to the club this year, Jay Moody, playing a starring role.

Moody played for Alvie in the Colac District league last year, but has bolstered Portland’s back half in the opening rounds of the season.

Terang-Mortlake coach Lewis Taylor. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Portland coach Lachlan Huppatz and star midfielder Daniel Jackson also played big parts in the victory with another winnable match for the success-starved club coming up at home against Port Fairy.

Terang-Mortlake beat Cobden by 37 points in the other Anzac Day clash.

Coach Lewis Taylor booted three goals as Terang-Mortlake finally opened its account following losses to Camperdown and Portland.

ANZAC DAY PREVIEWS

SOUTH BENDIGO v EAGLEHAWK, Queen Elizabeth Oval, Bendigo

The call to make the South Bendigo-Eaglehawk clash a stand-alone Anzac Day fixture under lights at South’s old digs at the QEO has proved an inspired one with both teams making the perfect start to 2025.

Rejuvenated South couldn’t have made a better start with wins over last year’s runner-up Gisborne and beaten preliminary finalist Strathfieldsaye.

Eaglehawk sits on top of the ladder undefeated with a massive percentage following wins against Golden Square and Kangaroo Flat.

South Bendigo’s Joel Swatton has been in great early season form. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Fortuitously, Eaglehawk has VFL-aligned players Lachlan Walker and Max Kennedy available due to Coburg having a bye, but the third member of the Coburg connection, Jesse Corigliano, is still out injured.

Co-coach Clayton Holmes also returns from suspension for Eaglehawk to play his first match of 2025.

In the win against Gisborne, South introduced three more recruits, Cal Crisp, James Davies and Jesse Collins, but has lost former coach Steve Stroobants to suspension.

Prediction: South Bendigo 6 points

NORTH ALBURY v ALBURY, Bunton Park, North Albury

The two fierce Ovens & Murray rivals have been slugging it out on Anzac Day since the late 1990s.

North Albury squandered its best chance to beat Albury for the first since 2008 in the traditional fixture last year.

Young forward Josh Murphy could’ve been a Hopper hero forever, but his shot after the siren missed and North Albury lost by two points.

North Albury went on to reach the preliminary final last year and Albury missed finals for the first time since 2008.

North Albury coach Tim Broomhead. Picture: Tim Petts (supplied)

Albury suffered an uncharacteristic 110-point thrashing from Wangaratta Rovers on Good Friday.

North Albury has suffered a major early season blow with star forward Josh Minogue with a broken thumb, but the Albury midfield will be weakened by the loss of Fletcher Carroll, who is in concussion protocols.

Albury ruckman Isaac Muller, who previously coached North Albury, is also out with a foot injury.

Prediction: North Albury 15 points

TRARALGON v MORWELL, Traralgon Recreation Reserve

The old sparring partners go head-to-head under lights with Morwell’s ability to curb the star power of Traralgon captain Tye Hourigan to be a major factor in the outcome.

Hourigan booted six goals in their mid-season draw between the two clubs last year.

His goalkicking heroics were again on show last round when Traralgon came from nowhere to grab victory late against Moe following the opening round defeat to Leongatha at home when Dyson Heppell laced up for the Parrots.

Traralgon’s Tye Hourigan played a key role in the win against Moe last round. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Morwell is on top of the ladder with two wins against Drouin and Warragul.

The return of man-mountain Isaac Abas to Morwell from three seasons at Morwell East has been a big factor in the promising start to 2025.

Morwell made no changes from last game, but Traralgon has brought back Kade Marsh for Blair Roscoe.

Prediction: Traralgon 12 points

IMPERIALS v MILDURA, Brian Weightman Oval, Mildura

Imperials have made the perfect start to their flag defence with wins against Ouyen United and South Mildura and Mildura followed an opening round win against Red Cliffs with a loss to Robvinvale-Euston.

Imperials have played on their 36-player points limit in both victories with Queensland recruit Jai Fitzpatrick making an impressive start.

Ryan Hards, who has returned to Imperials from Donald, is set to play his first match since recovering from a hip injury.

Former Carlton player Sam Kerridge is coach of Sunraysia league club Mildura. Picture: Supplied

Jayden Fox has kicked 16 goals in two matches and is on track to eclipse the 58 goals he booted last year for the eventual premiers.

Mildura coach Sam Kerridge is under an injury cloud heading into the match, but former SANFL player Brendan Dew is settling in nicely with 27 possessions last game.

Prediction: Imperials 32 points

HAMILTON v PORTLAND, Melville Oval, Hamilton

After a winless stretch dating back to Anzac Day 2023, Portland has made a flying start to the Hampden league season.

Knocked over Koroit in round 1 by 53 points and followed up with a 34-point win against Terang-Mortlake.

Hamilton is winless, but led Warrnambool at three quarter time in round 1 before going down by six goals.

Former Albury player Jeff Garlett has joined Portland for the early rounds of the Hampden league season. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

Also led Camperdown at the last change in round 2 before being run down again in the final term.

Maskell Medal winner Daniel Jackson and another recruit, Tanner Lovell, are firing and Jeff Garlett kicked three goals in the season opener.

Jack English has been in the best players in both matches for Hamilton this season and Rory Gill returns from suspension.

Prediction: Portland 26 points

Originally published as Traralgon beats Morwell by three points in Gippsland league thriller