See you at Parrot Park on Saturday… hail, rain or shine!

REIGNING premiers in the Gippsland League, Leongatha, will have eight players missing from their all-conquering premiership team when they unfurl their 2025 flag at Parrot Park on Saturday.

But never fear, they’ll have a great line-up on the day, and have lost few if any of that championship 22.

Among those set to grace the field against Moe on Saturday will be former Essendon captain, now Leongatha premiership player, Dyson Heppell with brother Aaron, Tom Marriott, Sam Forrester, Kim Drew, Jenson Garnham, Patrick Ireland and most of the stars from the team that so comprehensively dismantled Traralgon in last year’s finale.

It is anticipated that Dyson will again play the qualifying games for the Parrots but is also expected to offer his talents to a number of other clubs, returning to his father Paul’s original local club, Meeniyan-Dumbalk United, the Bridgenorth Parrots down in Tassie on April 18 and possibly one or two others.

Replacing the eight players who are missing, including Luke Bowman, Jackson Harry, Jay Walker and Will Littlejohn; all injured and the likes of Tallin Brill and Nick Argento unavailable, together with Ben Willis in the Reserves are a mixture of tried and tested senior players, homegrown talent and some youngsters added to the list.

Among them is talented Old Geelong ruckman, Jack Sheridan, a former Moore Medal in the VAFA, who has slotted seamlessly into the Parrots’ lineup.

Also joining the Parrots this year is young Fish Creek premiership player Tom Vuillermin, whose football and basketball talents are well regarded.

Xavier Bolge, Hayden Lindsay, Aydan Williams, Beau Grabham-Andrews, Ben Fort and Ned Hanily have also been named in the Seniors on Saturday against Moe.

The only 2025 Leongatha Senior Premiership player who will be missing this year will be Travis Nash who has gone to Churchill as an assistant coach with the Parrots' blessing and good wishes for success.

Both the Leongatha Seniors (2.10pm) and Reserves (12.20pm) will be unfurling 2025 flags on Saturday as a feature of the first round of the season which, unfortunately, doesn’t look set to be favoured by good weather conditions.

The Bureau of Meteorology is talking about winds from the west to north-west at between 35km/h and 50 km/h with between 4mm and 15mm of rain, with some hail in the morning, and temperatures struggling to reach 16°C.

The Parrots’ netballers also have a big day planned with a number of players in milestone games including Nicole Marriott who plays her 200th game, while they’ll also unfurl the Under 13s flag (8.50am) and B Grade flags (1.15pm) on the day.

There’ll be a half-time show for the kids featuring Bluey and the annual players’ auctions in the rooms after the games are wrapped up.

See you at Parrot Park on Saturday… hail, rain or shine!