Gippsland: Will Hayes to play fourth match for Warragul and qualify for finals

Warragul is coming home hard in the Gippsland league and has received a major late season boost. See what’s happening.

Former Goulburn Valley star Will Hayes will be eligible to take part in the Gippsland finals series when he hits the qualification mark of four matches for Warragul on Saturday against reigning premiers Traralgon.

Warragul has been the bolter of the competition, winning five of its last six matches to break into the top five.

Another win by Warragul, at home, will open the door to the double chance.

Hayes has been playing for Carlton’s VFL team this season, but won’t play more than 12 matches that would make him ineligible under AFL Victoria rules.

He has played only seven matches for the Blues with four VFL rounds remaining.

Will Hayes was a star player for Euroa before joining Gippsland club Warragul this season. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Warragul coach Jed Lamb said having Hayes eligible for finals was a massive boost.

“It’s not only his performance on the ground, but also his leadership and feedback he gives the younger players,” he said.

“When you get someone with his resume it gives the younger players a real pep in their step.

“From an outside point of view people might be thinking we’ve fluked a few games.

“But honestly it’s been a lot of hard work over the last couple of years.

“We’ve been in games and lost by a couple of goals.

“We’re just putting together four quarters now and know how to win.”

Warragul coach Jed Lamb. Picture: Supplied.

Another VFL-listed player Liam Serong will play for Coburg this weekend, but has already played the required number of Gippsland league games to qualify.

Midfielder Lane Ward, who has played 13 matches for Box Hill, will also play his first match for Warragul.

Meanwhile, Dyson Heppell has been selected to play his third match for Leongatha with his VFL club Port Melbourne having a bye this weekend.

The former Essendon captain needs to play another match for Leongatha and also hope the Gippsland league is successful in seeking an exemption from AFL Victoria to stick with the finals qualifications rules that have existed in recent seasons.

VFL-listed Dyson Heppell will play his third match for Leongatha on Saturday.

Moe’s Riley Baldi also has to play one more match for Moe to be eligible if rules around finals qualification remain in place.

The Gippsland league was unaware that its four match ruling for finals were superseded by AFL Victoria rules that state once a player has played more than 12 VFL matches they are ineligible.

Heppell and Baldi have both played 15 VFL matches for Port Melbourne and Casey Demons respectively.

The Gippsland league confirmed there was no update on a plan to seek a one-off exemption for this season for one-point players only given clubs went into 2025 on the basis VFL matches were not a consideration provided they played four games.

In the Hampden league, Portland regains VFL-listed midfielder Jamieson Ballantyne for the crunch clash against North Warrnambool.

Ballantyne has played enough Hampden league matches to qualify for finals, but has played 11 games for Geelong in the VFL.

Portland coach Lochie Huppatz said the return of four AFL-listed Geelong players to the VFL team had squeezed Ballantyne out this weekend.

“We’ve still got two rounds left when Geelong finishes so will have him for round 17 and 18 of Hampden league,” Huppatz said.

“It will just be a case of whether he is eligible for finals with us or not.

“It’s a bonus for us if we have him, but great for him if we don’t.”

Jackson Grundy has been selected for his third match for North Warrnambool and will be eligible for finals after playing only three VFL games for Werribee due to early season ankle injury.

Portland is sitting third on the ladder after claiming the wooden spoon last year.

Huppatz was reappointed as coach for 2026 this week.

Ovens & Murray club Myrtleford has picked Footscray VFL-listed player Dom Bedendo for his first match for his original club on Saturday.

But he won’t qualify for finals and doubts are starting to build whether Matt Taberner will be part of Myrtleford’s finals campaign after the former Fremantle player appeared in two O&M matches earlier in the season.