Leongatha went bang, bang, bang in the first few minutes of their match against old finals’ nemesis Maffra at Parrot Park on Saturday and it looked ominous from the get-go for the visitors.
All the usual suspects were in action including Ben Willis, Tom Marriott and Luke Bowman out of the centre, kicking to a lively forward line boosted by the return of Josh Hopkins this week, Nick Nagel last week and with plenty of forward pressure from the likes of Ned Hanley, Aaron Heppell early and Aaron Hillberg.
That pressure produced the first goal to Bowman, Hillberg snapped a point soon after and Nagel took a nice contested mark before Hillberg marked and goaled.
When Heppell set Jack Hume off on his way into an open goal it looked “how far Leongatha”.
Maffra’s defenders all had their hands full especially with Leongatha’s forwards playing to a winning on-ball unit, speed to burn down the flanks and the Eagles constantly turning it over under pressure.
They had Kade Renooy on Hopkins initially, Shelton on Heppell, big Huts on Nagel, Thatcher on Hume, Adams on Olden and Hillberg being closely watched by his opponent as well; all trying to tighten up as Leongatha burst to an early lead.
But Leongatha looked fit and motivated, whether it was stringing chains of handball together, applying pressure to their opponent’s kicks or breaking away to provide options or support; they looked a complete side.
Players, officials and supporters talk about the balance of youth and experience in the Leongatha side this year but all of them are contributing in equal measure.
Hanily, Juric, Hume, Van Der Pligt, Drew, Turton, Nash; they were all full of running right to the end and even when Aaron Heppell went off early and the influence of Luke Bowman was less after an initial strike, they lost nothing going on to record a super impressive 86 point win over the fifth-placed Maffra side who are trying for their 22nd finals series in-a-row.
Maffra managed two goals to Leongatha’s six in the first term with Curtley Nettleton on the lead making the most of limited opportunities to finish with three for the day but the Parrots’ dominance was obvious.
And you could see them, to a man, front to back, working hard at the basics of valuing possession, supporting the ball carrier with protection and options, applying pressure and running selflessly to get into position or to contests.
It’s a sustainable game plan executed with skill and enthusiasm.
They had one of their best teams of the year in this week and it showed, but clearly with everyone trying to put their best foot forward just a few weeks out from the finals.
Speaking after the game, Josh Hopkins, who was returning after seven weeks out with a hand injury, said there was definitely no sign of complacency or a lack of motivation.
“When you’ve worked this hard, just a few weeks out from the finals and on a fine day, you’re going to try to make the most of it,” he told the TRFM radio crew.
Hopkins kicked four goals on his return in a scintillating display.
But he wasn’t on his own.
Every player on the Parrots' team list performed in a consummate, four-quarter display.
The team stats were telling: inside 50s were heavily in Leongatha’s favour 59/27. Clearances were 38/24 to Leongatha. The Parrots had 23 marks inside 50 to Maffra’s 12. The Parrots scored 14.13 from turnovers with Maffra constantly forced to give it up especially coming out of defence.
Tom Marriott and Ned Hanily were among Leongatha’s best ball getters but Maffra defender Kade Renooy was the top possession getter on the day with 40.
Final scores: Leongatha 19.15.129 def Maffra 6.7.43.