Bairnsdale may not be playing Gippsland League senior football finals, however it can shape the top five this Saturday.
The Redlegs take on Sale in what will be coach Logan Austin’s last game in the navy blue and red after recently announcing his resignation after three seasons at the helm.
The Magpies currently sit sixth, two points adrift of fifth-placed Morwell, who they drew with last Saturday, and fourth-placed Wonthaggi, who have come from the clouds to all but lock in a finals berth after a slow start to the season.
Morwell faces a difficult challenge against second-placed Traralgon, while Wonthaggi has an equally tough test against third-placed Moe.
On paper it may seem as though Sale is best positioned to play finals despite being outside the top five, however that would be forgetting the damage the Redlegs caused to the Magpies back in round nine when they dominated the Magpies from start to finish, winning by 61 points.
It was Bairnsdale’s most complete performance of the season and while it may be only playing for pride in the final round, Austin and his coaching staff will be hopeful of replicating that sort of performance to end the season on a high.
It’s been a season of almosts for the Redlegs. They have lost four games by 10 points or less, three of those by a goal or less to teams currently inside the top five. If they reversed those results the would be locked into a finals campaign, which has eluded them for a decade.
However it’s not to be and Bairnsdale’s faithful will be hoping to for a good showing in Saturday’s final round.
