Gallant Parrots fight hard but can't deny Moe breakthrough

IT’LL be a hot time on the old town tonight after Moe broke a 59-year premiership drought to claim their first title since 1967.

But the reigning champs, Leongatha, weren’t about to give the title away easily after winning through to an incredible 10th grand final in-a-row.

The Parrots looked to be falling behind the star-studded Moe line-up after they went into the half-time break nine points in front and got it out to 21 points early in the ‘premiership quarter’ via goals to Blake Mullane and then Harry Pepper.

But Leongatha was far from finished and with captain courageous Tom Marriott leading them through the midfield, he came bouncing the ball down the ground before finding Jack Hume for a goal to kick-start another Parrots’ surge.

Moe’s Max Woodall kicked a miracle goal from the boundary, in front of the screaming Lions’ faithful to restore the lead but the Parrots had the answer soon after through Nick Argento and two more to Tallin Brill and Dyson Heppell cut the difference to two points, then one, then level by the last change.

The record crowd at the Traralgon ground of 7000-plus was getting everything they were promised and more, but with Leongatha coming home with the slight wind advantage, they looked a chance to go back-to-back and add further to what has been an incredible dynasty over the past decade.

Leongatha got a big gee-up from their coach Trent McMicking at three-quarter time, but the huddle was 20-deep around the Moe team as they set themselves for what turned out to be a history making final 30 minutes.

Leongatha started better, peppering the scoring zone after the restart and finally producing a goal to Kim Drew to put them in front by eight points but they simply couldn’t get the next one that might have given something to defend.

But in the end it was Moe which rolled home with three more goals to finally break through for that long, long awaited Gippsland premiership.

Leongatha missed a number of gettable shots and Moe had the rub of the green with a number of their crucial strikes, but many of Leongatha’s 17 points were the result of Lions’ pressure as much as they were Leongatha inaccuracy.

The two most recent AFL players on both sides, Dyson Heppell and James Harmes, were awarded the best-on-ground medals but they might have included any one of a number of others.

Final scores: Moe 14.7.91 def Leongatha 11.17.83.