A gallant Bairnsdale went down to league powerhouse Leongatha by just 17 points at the Bairnsdale City Oval in round three of the Gippsland League last Saturday.
In a low-scoring arm wrestle,
with both defences miserly, Bairnsdale maximised its opportunities in the first term with Brayden McCarrey’s first of three for the
afternoon giving the Redlegs a
three-point buffer.
Bairnsdale included Gippsland Power pair Jonah Walker and Jesse Bills for the clash, while Randall Stewart suited up for the first time this season.
Walker shared the ruck duties with Ethan East and Oscar Clarke in the absence of Jack White who missed through injury.
The Redlegs challenged the Parrots at the clearances all day, breaking about even with Will Mitchell (39 possessions) again pivotal at the coal face.
Goals were shared in the second term with both teams managing two, the scores all tied up at half time, though some costly Parrots misses certainly flattered the Bairnsdale scoreline.
Leongatha’s radar was again off in the third term with both sides registering a major, the Parrots’ three quarter time advantage of five points again established off the back of some errant kicking and great defensive pressure by
the Redlegs.
The Parrots, although inaccurate, still looked more likely to score with the Redlegs again struggling for marking targets in the
forward 50.
Leongatha finally found its range in the final term, kicking three goals to one, running out 17-
point winners.
Cooper Harvey (39) was sensational for the Redlegs, as was Mitchell, the ever-reliable Ethan East, and emerging defenders Damon O’Connor and Joshua Lando, while Jesse Bills played one of his better games at senior level.
Aaron Heppell was the leading goal kicker for the Parrots with two, with their better players being Cade Maskell (30), Heppell (36), Luke Bowman, Timothy Sauvarin, Tallin Brill and Benjamin Harding (35).
Bairnsdale heads down the highway this week to do battle with fifth placed Warragul, mindful that a loss could see them two matches outside the top five after just four rounds.
All eyes will be on Western Park to see if the Redlegs can reproduce the form from Saturday’s honourable loss, which could be enough to see it bank four vital points.
But it will be no easy task as the Gulls made light work of Sale last weekend and are looming as one of the success stories of the season.
