So far so good as Parrots Under 16s win through to grand final

THE Leongatha Under 16s have won through to next week’s Gippsland League Grand Final at Traralgon where they will meet the Maroons again in the quest for ultimate glory in 2026.

The Parrots did so in convincing fashion against Bairnsdale, under sunny skies at Sale on Saturday, looking the team most likely to kick a winning score throughout despite a reasonably even first quarter.

And they won the match with a very even contribution from backs, midfielders and forwards with Fraser Livingstone setting the tone in the first seconds of the match when he punched the ball clear of a leading Redlegs’ forward Caleb Kelly.

The Parrots raced the ball forward in classic coast-to-coast style and it was Harley Storr who got on the end of their opening goal for the day.

Bairnsdale’s Lucas Evans had a set shot for a point. William Levi-Sweeney and Logan Misale combined to clear it and, following forward, Misale collected the ball, shimmed this way and that before kicking their second, they were on their way.

The rest of the quarter was end-to-end footy with the Parrots and Redlegs’ midfielders evenly matched at the stoppages, but with the defences on top.

Finally, in the shadows Xavier Parker opened Bairnsdale’s account in opportunist fashion, initially missing his set shot for goal but getting in behind the Parrots’ defenders to soccer the ball through the goals just before the siren sounded.

It was just the tonic Bairnsdale needed going into the first break but it was Leongatha which came out and set up the win in the second quarter.

Initially, it was Bairnsdale which pressed forward forcing Levi-Sweeney to produce a goal-saving tackle and he was in the action soon after before the Parrots cleared it away.

But their defence wasn’t without error and a missed tackle near goal allowed Parker and Hyde Ljujic to combine for a goal to close the gap.

Leongatha responded immediately through the league’s top goal kicker Lewis Read and they steadily got on top from there, kicking four more goals, while keeping their opponents goalless, and there was no coming back from there.

Best players for Leongatha were listed as Louis Read, Frazer Livingstone, Archer Gee, Noah Bradley, Mitchell Hogarth and Logan Misale, but there was a solid contribution across the board and plenty of passages of good team football where Leongatha players were happy to tap the ball or handpass to advantage to get teammates into the clear,

Final scores: Leongatha 12.10.82 def Bairnsdale 7.11.53.

On a busy day for the Leongatha club at Sale, Leongatha won their first two matches, the Under 16 football and 15 and under netball, with the reserves football and A Grade netball yet to come.