Why this might be Power’s year

REALITY is, there’s absolutely nothing to choose between near neighbours Leongatha and Wonthaggi as they prepare for the first meeting between the clubs in a senior grand final in 62 years.

Both have had slightly different line-ups in each of the three games this year, also with players coming back from injury or carrying niggles into the game, so the three results this year need to be taken with a grain of salt.

The outcome will be all about attitude on the day, and especially taking your chances in front of goal. If there’s anything both teams should finish off with on the track this week it should be play sequences leading to goal kicking.

The bureau is predicting a perfect day for footy on Saturday, cloudy and 19 degrees the top, with only a slight chance of a shower. The wind will be wafting from the highway end of the ground, straight up towards the Morwell town end, a south to south-westerly of 15 to 20 km/h, offering a slight advantage but there can be no excuses, apart from nerves, for those kicking for goal.

But, purely on the face of the three match-ups so far this season, Wonthaggi go in as the slenderest of favourites.

They led Leongatha at the last change at Leongatha in April, before losing by three. They then completely locked down Leongatha after half time at Wonthaggi to win by 22 points, and in the Second

Semi-final two weeks ago, on the same ground, they led at every change and ran out 22-point winners.

They’ve had the week off to get cherry ripe, while Leongatha had a physical challenge in warm conditions at Sale, which could go either way for the Parrots’ preparation. They played some of their best footy of the year, on top of the ground at Sale, with Marriott, Heppell, Willis, Westaway and Maskell in some of their best form of the year, and with the Parrots’ role players all engaged. They looked good.

So, on balance, the Power have to be considered favourites on form alone, but it’s all about the contest now, contest after contest for the ultimate prize.

Since they re-entered the main Gippsland competition in 1969, the Parrots have won 11 premierships and might be considered unlucky not to add one or two more in the COVID years of 2020 and 2021 when play was abandoned.

But, in their two stints in the Gippsland League, as Wonthaggi Blues and Wonthaggi Power, Wonthaggi have never won a senior Gippsland premiership, despite appearing twice in 2002 and 2014 when they were right in the mix. If they win on Saturday, it’ll be the town’s first major league title in more than 100 years.

Players to watch for the Parrots include Tom Marriott in the centre, Cade Maskell down back and Cameron Olden up forward, but there’s quality right across the ground for Leongatha with tackling pressure and fast breaking away from the contests the key.

For Wonthaggi, Tim Knowles coming off half back, Ryan Sparkes a playmaker on the ball, Brodie Mabilia, Isaac Chugg running the flanks and the coach himself, Jarryd Blair, with his trademark skills, are among those to look out for but the three-pronged attack of Jack Hutchinson, Cooper McInnes and Noah Anderson are the future of the club, ready to put their stamp on a new era. The team’s much-vaunted defence, with Jack Blair, Tim Knowles and Jakeb Thomas among them, is also a force to be reckoned with.

But, do yourself a favour, and get across to Morwell to see history in the making and a celebration of South Gippsland football, which to be fair, is in fine fettle after this district dominated grand finals last weekend – congratulations to Inverloch-Kongwak’s footballers and netballers, and the Fish Creek seniors and Tarwin Shark’s reserves.

For locals, the day at Morwell starts at 12.15pm with the C Grade Netball Grand Final between Leongatha and Bairnsdale, the Reserves Grand Final between Leongatha and Sale starts at 12.30pm and the seniors grand final between Wonthaggi and Leongatha starts at 2.30pm. May the best team win.