More than a game as Parrots come on strong at Bairnsdale

LEONGATHA returned to the winners’ list at Bairnsdale on Saturday, after lowering their colours to Moe in Round 1, when they streaked away from the Redlegs after an even first half.

Both teams marked their on-field support for the Gippsland League’s Loy Yang B Mental Health Round by nominating a player from either side to wear the 'Blue 0' number for mental health with 150-gamer Sam Forrester having the honour for Leongatha and Bairnsdale big man Max East in blue for the home side.

More details below.

The Parrots were already showing signs of the dominance which saw them kick nine goals to two in the third quarter when they had most of the play in the second term, without delivering on the scoreboard.

Bairnsdale stayed in touch until half time, making the most of their entries into the forward 50, or via some acts individual brilliance, like the goal kicked by wingman Ryan Cullinan, running freely on to a creative pass by his captain Tyran Rees and slotting it from 50 metres out halfway through the second quarter.

New Parrots’ ruckman Jack Sheridan continued to impress, working well in tandem with Justin Pellicano, up against Gus Russell and Ethan East.

And there was plenty of support out of defence from Tim Sauvarin, Cade Maskell, Xavier Bolge and Ben Fort but it was the midfield which set the tone; including Tom Marriott, Aaron Heppell, Ben Harding and Kim Drew.

Bairnsdale actually opened the scoring on the day through Tyran Rees and they had the next one as well, through Oscar Morrison, before Leongatha broke through Aaron Heppell, typically on the move around a stoppage near goal.

They’d hit the front by quarter time with good ball movement to a leading Jenson Garnham, followed by one to Zavier Lamers.

The second quarter was end-to-end stuff without much to write home about, apart from Cullinan’s running goal but the Parrots took the foot off the brake after half time.

The got their run started with a goal to Garnham, his second after two minutes, on the back of some clearance work by Finn Donohue, and a minute later, Tom Marriott race free out of the centre for his second. It was already looking ominous for the home side before Garnham got his third a minute later.

Bairnsdale’s Harry McGuinn pulled one back with a long bomb and Morrison followed with another Redlegs’s strike, but six more from Leongatha by three quarter time iced the game.

Garnham kicked four and five, one after an awesome tap by Sheridan to a running Harding, before Paddy Ireland chipped in with a couple.

The Parrots’ running players were lining up to get involved and the pattern continued into the last quarter with Garnham finishing with seven on the day, Leongatha home by 82 points.

Leongatha plays Maffra away next Sunday, after Anzac Day on Saturday, and then welcomes Traralgon to Parrot Park on Saturday, May 2.

150 up for Sam Forrester

It would be hard to imagine a more fruitful 150 games for your club of choice than collecting five senior premierships along the way, as Leongatha’s Sam Forrester has done.

Sam had the honour of wearing the ‘Blue 0’ guernsey in support of the Gippsland League’s Loy Yang B Mental Health Round and did justice to the number with plenty of searching runs out of the backline on the way to Leongatha scores.

He even had the chance to kick a goal himself but produced the traditional defenders’ response in front of goal.

Round 2 of the 2026 season on Saturday April 18 was designated as Loy Yang B Mental Health Round with the partnership entering its sixth season under the Gippsland League, proudly supported by the Loy Yang B.

The round continues to play a vital role in supporting clubs and communities while raising awareness of mental health and its impact across Gippsland with both netballers and footballers fully engaged in the awareness event.

The Gippsland League marked a significant milestone in 2026, with this year representing the 10th Mental Health Round delivered by the competition. The initiative was initially as part of the broader AFL Gippsland program from 2015-2019 and now has expanded from 2021 by the Gippsland League through the support of the member clubs and Loy Yang B.

The round was played across all five match days, with a series of activations designed to promote the message of making better mental health our goal, including a ‘Blue 0’ jumper in each team on the day, blue bibs in the netball and signage at the venues.

Noah Bradley and Charlie Bickerton played their 50th club games.