THERE'S been a sensational turn of events in the Gippsland League Grand Final between Leongatha and Wonthaggi with Power forward Tom Davey red carded and sent off during the second quarter for an unknown incident.
Davey had been yellow carded late in the first quarter so the additional, unknown infringement, made the send-off mandatory.
By then, however, the reigning champs Leongatha had put their stamp on the game to lead by six goals at half time, Leongatha 9.2 to Wonthaggi's 3.4.
The Parrots' defence had been very miserly despite the athletic efforts of Jack Hutchinson and Cooper McInnes and Leongatha was ahead in every department of the game.
Wonthaggi's Noah Anderson pulled one back straight after the restart but it was answered by Leongatha's Noah Gown before Troy Harley got the next and the Power was mounting some sort of challenge, albeit with 17 men.
Leongatha continued to answer any challenge coming their way and ultimately ran out very convincing six-goal winners, Leongatha a highly accurate 12.3.75 to Wonthaggi 6.4.40 at the end.
It was revealed that Power coach Jarryd Blair went into the game with an injured calf muscle, and was unable to exert any of his usual influence over the contest. But they had some solid contributors all the same; Fergus O'Connor superb on elusive Leongatha forward Cam Olden, Tim Knowles and Jack Blair rarely beaten in the back half , Brodie Mabilia who opened the Power's account and remained a goer all day, and Aiden Lindsay and Ryan Sparkes out of the centre and around the ground matching it with the likes of Tom Marriott, Aaron Heppell, Noah Gown and the very talented Leongatha on-ball unit.
But such was the strong overall performance by the Parrots that it was hard to nominate a best six, ultimately they went for 7incomperable defender Cade Maskell, Tom Marriott with another influential performance in a grand final, Benjamin Willis awesome in the ruck and in a bullocking role around the ground, Aaron Heppell, Cameron Olden, and Jackson Harry in a key defensive role again, capping off his best year at the Parrots.
