BOTH Leongatha and Moe have made changes ahead of the do-or-die preliminary final at Sale on Saturday, Leongatha recalling two and Moe making four changes to the team that won through in thrilling style against Traralgon last Sunday.
Leongatha have predictably brought back Qualifying Final hero Cam Olden after a week’s suspension and talented midfielder Jake van der Pligt who came back through the Leongatha Development team last week after returning from injury.
The Parrots might yet make another change before Saturday with an unnamed member of the selected side likely to go through a fitness test ahead of the game.
Moe have welcomed back regular senior player Grady Cocksedge, who hasn’t played a senior game since June 24. Also coming back in is Old Carey Grammarians’ recruit Lucas Forato who has missed the first two finals matches, defender Dylan Brooks who missed the final against Traralgon but who has played 13 senior games this year, and promising youngster Lachy McGrath, in for his sixth senior game this year, after being recruited from Trafalgar midseason.
It's a contest full of interest after the two teams played an entertaining Qualifying Final at Wonthaggi two weekends ago, featuring a standout performance by Leongatha forward Cam Olden, in which he kicked eight goals, more than accounting for the difference between the sides on the day.
Leongatha got it out to a five-goal lead by the last change in the Qualifying but Moe kept coming in the last quarter and they also impressed with their thrilling come-from-behind win over Traralgon where they kicked with the aid of the breeze at Maffra on Sunday, more than doubling their own score as they kicked 6.4 to Traralgon’s nil in a whirlwind finish.
Onballer Riley Baldi dominated that game with tall forward Nick Prowse converting a number of towering marks into four goals. He’s set to be a hard match-up for the Parrots as well.
Out of the Parrots line-up are Cameron Stone and Steve Forrester, while Moe’s omissions include Charlie Rieniets, Matthew Heywood, Ben Morrow and Tyler Pratt; of those the loss of big Lions’ ruckman Ben Morrow, if indeed he is missing on Saturday could be a key out. Cameron Stone is an important part of the Parrots’ transition game, and has also been able to share time as an onballer this year. He’ll be missed as well.
Saturday at Sale is predicted to be a warm and fine day, one out of the box after months of cold, wintry weather, and how that impacts the two teams on the day, and ultimately their preparations for the grand final the following week, is part of the puzzle.
The day is a big one for Leongatha with the Parrots’ netballers featuring in five of the six preliminary finals which start at 9am with Sale v Moe in the 13 and Unders, but then with Leongatha teams in all other games on the day culminating in the A Grade preliminary final between Leongatha and Morwell at 2.35pm.
Preliminary finals - football
- Seniors: Leongatha v Moe 2.20pm
- Reserves: Maffra v Sale 12.30pm
- Thirds: Traralgon v Maffra 10.45pm
- Fourths: Maffra v Bairnsdale 9pm
Preliminary finals - netball
- A Grade: Morwell v Leongatha 2.35pm
- B Grade: Traralgon v Leongatha 1.20pm
- C Grade: Leongatha v Bairnsdale 12.15pm
- Under 17s: Sale v Leongatha 11.10am
- Under 15s: Traralgon v Leongatha 10.05am
- Under 13s: Sale v Moe 9am
See selected teams: https://www.playhq.com/afl/org/gippsland-league/gippsland-league-2023/seniors/game-centre/8135d36d
