Bairnsdale’s Gippsland League season is over, the Redlegs going down to finals-bound Sale by 60 points last Saturday.
It brought to an end the coaching tenure of Logan Austin, who year-on-year has led Bairnsdale with aplomb, the side’s results improving significantly to a point finals were realistic for the vast majority of this season.
Saturday’s result wasn’t the fitting end Austin was looking for, however the coach has had to deal with a multitude of injuries and unavailabilities in the final month of the season.
Saturday’s loss summed up the Redlegs’ final three rounds – competitive in parts, but outclassed overall by a side ready to enter a finals series at full steam.
After a back and forth start in swirling conditions, Sale big man Jack Leslie marked on the lead and goaled at the seven-minute mark.
Tyran Rees nearly hit back immediately from a set shot, however the Magpies had their second when coach Jack Johnstone shrugged off Josh Lando and goaled on the run.
Lachlan Byrne-Jones kicked the Redlegs’ first following a centering Reece Carstairs ball, but that was the final cheer of the quarter for Bairnsdale as Sale slammed through another three goals to lead by 24 points at quarter time.
The Redlegs scored the first major if the second term when Xavier Richards outmuscled his opponent on the edge of the goalsquare, however Jonty McGuiness responded from long range. The Magpies added the next two to extended the lead to 40 before Richards got his second for Bairnsdale when Byrne-Jones found him open in the goalsquare after the speedy onballer made a midfield intercept.
Sale, however, finished the half stronger with three goals in time on to extend its advantage to 52 points at half time.
A dour third quarter was won by the Redlegs 2.4 to 1.1, despite Leslie giving the Magpies the opening goal of the quarter.
Richard’s kicked his third at the 17-minute mark after marking a Damon O’Connor entry, while Carstairs goaled from a set shot at 24 minutes.
Bairnsdale had cut the deficit to 43 with a quarter to play and was the superior side during the third term, causing turnovers and trapping the ball inside its half, however the Redlegs didn’t capitals effectively.
A more free-flowing final quarter saw league leading goalkicker Brayden McCarrey add three to his tally to finish the season with 54 goals, one clear of Leongatha’s Jenson Garnham who made a late charge with 10 goals against Drouin.
McCarrey’s first came following a push in the back free 90 seconds into the quarter, and his second from a tough angle deep in the left forward pocket before Matt Corbett goaled from a turnover.
McCarrey’s third came deep in time on after Cooper Harvey and Austin used the be smartly entering attack to find the open forward.
Will Mitchell completed an outstanding season compiling 39 disposals, meanwhile Randall Stewart, Byrne-Jones and Corbett were also influential in the midfield. Austin and Lando played well in the back half.
