Leongatha v Wonthaggi: ‘Should be a classic!’

THE top two teams in both the Seniors and Reserves in the Gippsland League just happen to represent the two South Gippsland clubs, Leongatha and Wonthaggi, and they are set to do battle at Leongatha this Saturday afternoon, July 2 in the match of the day.

It’s ‘Rivalry Round’ in the Gippsland League with Traralgon hosting Morwell, Sale versus Bairnsdale and Drouin facing Warragul, and while Maffra travels to Moe, it’s an important clash all the same.

With no games in the rival West Gippsland Football Netball League competition, the day looks set to be a real blockbuster.

Meanwhile there should also be some great games of netball too at Leongatha with the second and fourth top teams, Leongatha (9 wins, 2 losses) and Wonthaggi (6 wins, 5 losses) headlining in A Grade and some good contests in the under-age grades as well where Wonthaggi leads Leongatha on the under 17s and under 13s ladders, but with Leongatha and Wonthaggi neck-and-neck in the under 15s.

Leongatha coach Trent McMicking said it was a day both clubs always looked forward to.

“At home with no West Gippsland footy, it should be an absolute classic,” said McMicking on Friday.

Both Leongatha and Wonthaggi have made minimal changes ahead of the big Seniors’ clash with Leongatha bringing back Jake van der Pligt for Rick O’Loughlin and Wonthaggi unchanged from the week before.

Both clubs still have a few players missing including Troy Harley for Wonthaggi and the likes of Cade Maskell and Josh Hopkins out for Leongatha, among other possible inclusions.

And while illness still looms, there can be no excuses on the day.

“Yes, training was pretty sharp this week. Both clubs, I think look forward to this one and the reality is, many of them know each other really well and quite a lot of them either work together or crossover during the week, so there’s a lot of interest in it at all levels.

“And it’s great to have what you could say is a mini-final in the middle of winter, something to really look forward to, but still with six rounds to go.

“They’ve been going really well. We’ve been winning but we’ve had a few scratchy ones too.

“The good thing for us is we look like only having the one change, which is the least number of changes we’ve had for a while.

“But for sure, both of the clubs have their Reserves and Seniors in first and second on the ladder, so it’s a top-of-the-table match in both which I guess would be pretty rare.”

Wonthaggi Power’s Jarryd Blair said his club was also looking forward to the contest.

“I think everyone wants to be a part of these big games and it’s certainly a chance to see where you’re at,” said Jarryd Blair on Friday.

“It’s probably the most settled we’ve been which is good, playing consistently together.”

Blair acknowledged there should be a good contest in the midfield where Leongatha benefitted from the likes of Ben Willis, Aaron Heppell, Tom Marriott and Luke Bowman, while Wonthaggi would be going in with an equally experienced group including Toma Huther in the ruck, Aiden Lindsay and Ryan Sparkes, with Blair himself also in there.

He also acknowledged that both clubs had strong, settled defences.

“Our back six is pretty settled now, and it certainly makes a difference when you’ve got group that works well together.”

Jarryd said he was also very pleased with the form and commitment of the Reserves.

“We’ve got quite a few, especially some good younger ones coming through which is really good.”

The Leongatha ground looks like being a bit heavier than you’d like to see so there should be some fierce contests for the loose ball and getting numbers to the contest, and the willingness of players prepared to spread could be where it’s won or lost, in the second phase, as opposed to the initial breaks out of the centre and at ball-ups and throw-ins.

Wonthaggi has shown a growing level of resilience in games against Sale and Traralgon in recent weeks, and while Leongatha is the form side of the competition, they are missing a few first-choice players this week.

It all makes for a fascinating day in prospect.

It’s going to be cold at Leongatha, reaching a top of 12 degrees, so rug up, but there’s less than 1mm of rain predicted so standing out, watching with a coffee and a pie, could be the order of the day.

If you can’t get there, the Leongatha versus Wonthaggi game is the Gippsland Radio TRFM ‘Match of the Day’ on 99.5 or 99.9, so stay tuned.

The Senior teams are virtually unchanged, Leongatha bringing back Jake van der Pligt and Wonthaggi unchanged. See teams: For the selected Wonthaggi and Leongatha teams (click here).