Jordan Staley returns for Wonthaggi Power

LEONGATHA has made three and Wonthaggi two changes from the teams they sent out last time, Wonthaggi Power against Sale in their Qualifying Final at Morwell last Saturday and Leongatha against Drouin in the final home and away game of the season.

And the big change for Wonthaggi is the return of key forward Jordan Staley after a hand and collarbone break, in the Round 12 game against Leongatha, back on July 2.

According to the club, Staley might have returned as early as last week but is certainly ready to go for the all-important Second Semi-Final against Leongatha at Moe.

He comes in for the injured Jakeb Thomas, while Darcy Brosnan comes in for Mitch Hayes who was concussed early in the match against Sale. He's been running around this week, fully recovered, and will be cherry-ripe for the remainder of the Power's finals campaign. Thomas could have played this week but is being given an extra week.

Leongatha have welcomed back Aaron Heppell, Cade Maskell and Travis Nash for Tim Sauvarin, Will Dawson and Mason McGannon but could be expected to include Ned Hanily in the weeks ahead, presently serving the second week of a two-match suspension for a crude tackle a couple of weeks ago against Moe. He has been clearly in the club's best 22 across 13 senior games this season.

Jack Ginnane failed in his 11th-hour bid to have his eight-match suspension scaled back in the Supreme Court during the week.

It will be the first time these neighbouring rivals have met since the Parrots came out smoking with a seven goal to nil blitz in the first quarter of Round 12 but forget that result if you can because much as changed since then with both clubs developing their form and starting with some different personnel this week.

Leongatha deserves the right to go into the all-important final at Moe as the clear favourite after an unbeaten run in 2022. They’ve been superb – not only winning like champs at times, but also battling through to win ugly in a topsy-turvy season for all clubs.

The Parrots have added the likes of Josh Hopkins, Jackson Harry, Nick Nagel and Aaron Hillberg since the last time the teams met and Wonthaggi have included Travis Krause, Troy Harley, Will Lenehan and Hunter Tiziani; with Harley a key inclusion, especially after his seven goals against Sale.

It’s a dream match-up for local footy purists, Wonthaggi versus Leongatha in a big Gippsland League final with enough changes to suggest a different sort of contest but many will be hoping that the vanquished this time around find their way back into the ‘Big Dance’ at Moe again on Saturday, September 17 – wouldn’t that be something!