Gippsland: Wonthaggi recruit Cooper McInnes stars in big win
The Gippsland league premiership race is wide open with Wonthaggi firmly in the mix after thrashing Traralgon. Plus see the results from around the country footy grounds.
Victoria
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Wonthaggi announced itself as a flag contender by smashing another Gippsland league heavyweight Traralgon by a record 79 points on Saturday.
The Power sent Traralgon tumbling from second to fourth spot on the ladder with a crushing victory that bettered their previous biggest winning margin over the home team by three points.
Traralgon had not lost since round 1 against reigning premier Leongatha and Power’s only two losses this season have been to Leongatha and Moe.
Cooper McInnes was a star for Wonthaggi, which broke the game open in the second quarter with seven goals to two.
McInnes, recruited by Power from Tarwin this season, finished with seven goals with talented midfielder Ryan Sparkes also high up in the best players.
Wonthaggi is coached by former Collingwood player Jarryd Blair, who has also added another former Magpie, Isaac Chugg to the Power line-up this year.
Defender Tye Hourigan was clearly Traralgon best player taking more than 15 marks in an overworked Maroons backline.
Wonthaggi plays Morwell next round and Traralgon travels to Sale, which has recovered from its slow start to the season to be a game and percentage clear of sixth-placed Morwell.
Noah Gown booted four goals on debut for Leongatha, which bounced back from last week’s loss to Moe with a 66-point win against Maffra.
Gown, who was drafted by Essendon in 2016, has played nine games with Sandringham at VFL level this season.
HAMPDEN
Port Fairy has stunned third-placed Camperdown with a 63-point upset win in the Hampden league.
The Seagulls snapped a 29-match losing streak a month ago against Hamilton, but the win over Camperdown, which went into the game on the back of a five-match winning streak, is further proof the former league easybeat is on the right path.
Full-forward Jason Rowan booted three goals to close within one of the Hampden league goalkicking record of 1020 goals held by Tony Russell.
Defender Colin Harwood was best-on-ground in his 150th match for Port Fairy which had other good players Andrew Mcmeel, Segdae Lucardie and Oliver Myers.
Port Fairy put the game beyond doubt with a six-goal third quarter.
The 2014 AFL Rising Star winner Lewis Taylor featured in the best players in his first match for Terang-Mortlake in its big win over bottom-placed Hamilton Kangaroos.
His much anticapted debut has been hampered by a groin injury.
MURRAY
Finley has recorded one of the shocks of the Murray league season by comingfrom behind to beat second-placed Congupna by three points.
The Cats had squandered a 16-point lead at quarter time to trail by seven at the last change before kicking two goals to snatch victory.
Geelong league recruit Tom Lang booted five goals for Finley to take his season tally to 29 and coach Ethan Reeved also played a starring role.
Lang played in St Mary’s premiership winning team last year in the GFL.
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Originally published as Gippsland: Wonthaggi recruit Cooper McInnes stars in big win
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