Parrots bounce back with ominous display

BY HIS own admission, Leongatha intercept defender Cade Maskell “needed the run” after he came back from injury ahead of Leongatha’s surprising loss to Morwell two weeks ago.

But there was no sign of any lack of form, after missing nine rounds, or any lingering discomfort from a leg injury during a ripping best-on-ground performance against Sale on Saturday in which he took 15 marks, had 32 kicks and two handballs.

In fact, he had most of those stats in the book and was sitting on the bench in his tracksuit halfway through the last quarter when he was called back on as a result of a nasty-looking collision involving fellow Leongatha defender Cooper Alger.

Maskell’s performance and an improved contribution from Cameron Olden, including three first-quarter goals that really set the Parrots alight, plus the inclusion of four former premiership players; Jake van der Pligt, Kim Drew, Jack Hume, and Luke Bowman contributed to a greatly improved effort by Leongatha.

In fact, up until three-quarter time, such was Leongatha’s dominance that they led finals’ aspirant’s Sale by almost 10 goals at the last change, holding Sale to just 2.10 for three quarters.

Two of Leongatha’s other inclusions, Mitch Bentvelzen in defence and Tim Sauvarin on the wing, also added plenty to the mix as the Parrots returned to the sort of form they are going to have to find ahead of the finals, with just two rounds remaining.

It certainly helped Leongatha that they were playing on a fast, dry track at Sale, but the home side contributed to their own demise, after the heroics against Traralgon the previous week, missing plenty of gettable shots at goal, especially in the first quarter where they finished with six behinds.

Their mercurial ruck rover Shannen Lange already had a dozen or more possessions to that stage in the game so there was no lack of opportunity.

Leongatha, on the other hand, was much more productive in front of goal with Jenson Garnham, Cam Olden, Jack Ginnane and Jackson Harry all looking capable.

The first scoring chance for the Parrots set something of a pattern for the game with Maskell rebounding off halfback, Kim Drew carrying the ball forward and Jack Ginnane crashing the pack to provide a loose-ball scoring chance for Harry.

He missed the running shot and Sale’s hero from the previous week, Brad Dessent also failed to convert a much easier shot than won the game for the Magpies at Traralgon.

It was left to Cam Olden, almost unbeatable in a one-on-one marking contest, to open the Parrots’ account after a strong mark and they never looked back.

Jesse Burns was a livewire for the Parrots and Shannen Lange, was already into his stride, with several of his characteristic one-two plays out of the centre.

A fine tackle by Jake van der Pligt led directly to the next goal by Jenson Garnham.

Lange missed an easy shot for Sale, Jack Hume was already showing plenty of dash on the wing, Dessent missed another chance up the other end and then Jay Walker showed what he can do near goals.

Again, it was Jack Ginnane providing a good contest at centre-half-forward, and Walker swooped on the loose ball, before kicking a spectacular ‘banana’ goal on the wrong foot from just inside the boundary.

Olden finished the quarter with two more including a long bomb from outside 50 and the Parrots were on their way.

The Parrots got the first goal of the second quarter through Drew, and Cade Maskell capped off his return to form when he looped around behind Ty Hall on the forward 50 to take a long shot that sailed through post-high much to the delight of his teammates.

Leading by almost 10 goals going into the last quarter, the Parrots took their foot off the accelerator and Sale added some respectability to the scoreboard with five last-quarter goals to one, but the Parrots were never in doubt and may have shown a glimpse of what they are still capable of producing in 2024.

It was a fitting celebration of captain Tom Marriott’s 250th game.

Final scores: Leongatha 12.17.89 def Sale 7.11.53.