By Nicholas Duck
The grand final rematch saw Leongatha and Traralgon do battle once more while an unlikely hero stood up for an incredible match-winning performance out at Maffra.
Here's what you might have missed this week.
Leongatha vs Traralgon
Same match-up, same winner.
Saturday's grand final rematch may have been a much closer affair than last year's decider but the outcome was still the same – Leongatha got up.
The Parrots put together a barnstorming if inaccurate first quarter to set themselves up for victory 12.18 (90) to 11.7 (73).
By the first break the Parrots had put on 4.6 to 0.3 - not quite the absolute devastation of the grand final's opening stanza but not too far off.
Try as they might the Maroons were unable to bridge the gap despite winning the second half eight goals to five.
There were some hopes after Tye Hourigan's move forward paid some dividends and allowed the visitors to close the gap at three quarter time.
Three straight Parrots goals to start the last, however, put paid to that.
Jenson Garnham (four goals) again led Leongatha's efforts inside 50 as the Parrots enjoyed similarly strong performances from Zavier Lamers, Tom Marriott, Aaron Heppell, Jack Hume, Timothy Sauvarin and Kim Drew.
Traralgon will be pleased with their efforts past quarter time but you can't give the Parrots a quick start like that.
Harvey Neocleous, Liam Willaton, Lucas Tripodi, Michael Jacobsen, Mitchell Mustoe and Samual Walker were their best.
Maffra vs Morwell
A ten-goal masterclass from Seth Smith saw Maffra pour more misery on Morwell as they secured their second win of the season.
The Eagles booted the final five goals of the day, four of them from Smith, to claim a thrilling 18.8 (116) to 13.10 (88) victory that sees them outside the top five on percentage.
Up until that final rush it had been a genuine arm wrestle at the Maffra Recreation Reserve. The lead changed hands on multiple occasions and neither team could quite shake the other.
Smith had been a point of difference of course but few would have predicted the final assault that would see Maffra pull away by 28 points.
Maffra's poor percentage is now the only thing keeping them outside the five following big losses to top teams Leongatha and Moe.
They'll have a chance to improve on that this Saturday against Warragul.
While Smith was a clear best on ground, Alex Carr, Elijah Berry, Jett Killoran, Thomas Scott and Harper Walker all played well for the Eagles.
Morwell were best served by former Maroon Hugh Dunbar, as well as Zachary Anderson, Burkeley Macfarlane, Max Linton, Blake Couling and Aidan Quigley.
Having now lost to Bairnsdale and Maffra in successive weeks things only get tougher for the Tigers with matches against Leongatha and Moe to come.
Moe vs Wonthaggi
Moe proved far too strong for another top five contender on Saturday, knocking off Wonthaggi by 40 points.
Seven goals to one in the third quarter gave Moe all the breathing space they needed before they ran out winners 15.13 (103) to 9.9 (63).
It's another feather in the cap for the Lions, who have kicked off their year by beating Leongatha, Traralgon and now the Power to firmly establish themselves as early premiership fancies.
The Lions also enjoyed a strong opening term in which they kicked the first four goals of the day to get them up and about.
An early hand injury that ended captain Scott van Dyk's day may be of concern, however.
Moe's draw now opens up for the next three weeks with matches all against teams outside the five to come.
Brock Smith, Blake Mullane, Myles Poholke, James Harmes, Paul Gatpan and Jordan Shields were all brilliant against Wonthaggi while Harrison Pepper kicked three.
Wonthaggi were best served by Jakeb Thomas, Bryce Joyce, Daniel Bourke, Jarryd Blair, Aiden Lindsay and Isaac Chugg.
Drouin vs Sale
Sweet relief.
Drouin have won their first game since round 12 last year in style after comprehensively thumping Sale by 81 points.
The Hawks led for almost the entire day and enjoyed the chance to fill their boots late, piling on eight last quarter goals to signal it was (finally) party time at the Drouin Recreation Reserve.
The 25.23 (173) to 13.14 (92) drubbing is the club's first senior win on their home deck since June 2024 after a year on the road due to the reserve being resurfaced.
The upgrades have clearly paid dividends, with Drouin's final score easily clearing their previous best against Sale (133) and the margin doing the same (previously 73 points). No way were they going to score 173 on their old surface.
Hawks forward Jack Walsh dined out on the Magpies defence, kicking seven to lead all comers. Despite missing a few, his seven-goal effort is the most by a Drouin player against Sale, eclipsing Troy Kneebone's six-goal effort in 2010.
Coming into what loomed as their most winnable game in some time, Drouin used their run and gun style to perfection, opening the Magpies defence up time and time again.
The inclusion of the club's Gippsland Power players had them looking much more well-structured around the ball and defensively. And what they lacked in size, they made up for in speed.
Recruit Tommy Trist was at the forefront of their contest work, working in tandem alongside skipper Seb Amoroso and Lane Ward at the coalface.
Over and over any one, two or all of them would get their hands dirty, working the ball to the outside and letting the rest of the Hawks brigade get to work.
Noah Lafrantz's tackling and pressure were standout features of his game as Tyler Canute's work rate on the wing made him a dangerous player - even if he did miss a couple of shots at goal.
Max Williames and Zayne Atkins were Drouin's primary distributors off half back and filled their roles perfectly, setting Drouin up for plenty of rebound opportunities.
It was another tough day at the office for Sale, whose exodus of senior talent had been well-documented.
Vice-captains Josh Butcher and Thomas Wrigglesworth did what they could alongside skipper Thomas Glenn, while Adam Wallace, Cooper Rand and ruck Archer Gerrand fought the good fight. The game opened in a way that became a bit of a theme for the four quarters - Drouin would begin well by booting a goal or two, then Sale would strike back before Drouin finished the term strongly.
A Rylie Baker set shot opened Drouin's account not long before Walsh went back to back, until the Magpies found their groove.
Four straight Magpies majors briefly gave the visitors the lead, only for Lane Ward to step up and run in a beauty that kicked off a three-goal burst to end the quarter.
The second term kicked off in similar fashion but this time the Hawks didn't end the term with three goals - they booted five unanswered before the main break.
Drouin came into the second half up 41 and smelling blood in the water as they kept up the pressure to extend their lead, but it wasn't until the last when the celebrations really began.
The Hawks have suffered their fair share of heavy losses and clearly enjoyed finally being able to inflict one on someone else, slamming home goal after goal to heap more misery on the Magpies.
At times they were even showing off - Walsh marked deep in the pocket and managed to wrong foot two opponents in a row (sending one sprawling mind you) as he ran one in to the delight of the crowd.
He wasn't done there either, marking straight in front from the next centre clearance for another.
Safe to say Jack Leslie's men are hurting at the moment. In a season that's offering few wins to them, a match against Drouin was about the best they're getting for a while.
It'll be an interesting few weeks ahead as they face Traralgon, Leongatha and Wonthaggi one after the other. Ouch.
For the Hawks, who have won just once since the beginning of 2025, any win is to be celebrated. Probably fair to say it would have been a dangerous night to be a beer at Drouin on Saturday night.
Hawks coach Jordan Kingi described the result as "reward for effort."
"There were still frustrating parts but in terms of offence we were really good. We probably left a few out there to be honest, we missed a few shots and dropped a few marks.
"But it was really pleasing to see the boys fill their boots and run away with it. It just reinforces all the things we've been working on since the pre-season."
Drouin will enjoy a week off before hosting the undefeated Moe in what will be their biggest challenge yet.
Bairnsdale vs Warragul
Warragul have ridden a rollercoaster of momentum shifts to remain undefeated after grinding out a 27-point win against Bairnsdale.
Playing away from home on the wide expanses of the Redlegs' home oval, the Gulls had to scratch and claw at times as the home side put up a very good fight.
With both teams having periods of dominance over the other, Warragul did enough when they had the advantage, kicking away as the game wore on to prevail 13.10 (88) to 9.7 (61).
There were a few nervy moments - even late when the Gulls broke out to a 38-point lead and seemed on track for a big win Bairnsdale slammed home three goals in as many minutes - but the Gulls' class and experience won out when it was needed.
The result sees Warragul maintain top spot on the table on four straight wins.
Gulls co-captains Tom Stern and Tom Hobbs were again at the forefront for their team, putting their heads over the ball for the full four quarters.
Up and comer Levi Moore provided plenty of drive off half back while Riley Senini was as tough as ever in and under in the middle.
Sean Masterson - spotted without his long sleeves - spent large parts of the game on in-form Bairnsdale forward Oscar Morrison and held up his end of the bargain, keeping Morrison to three goals but limited influence otherwise.
Caleb McIntosh rounded out Warragul's best, enjoying some run across the width of Bairnsdale City Oval.
The Redlegs were best served by on-baller Tyran Rees, who took it right up to the Warragul engine room.
Jamie Dore was lively as big man Ethan East gave a solid account of himself defensively, while Reece Carstairs, Cooper Harvey and Lachlan Byrne-Jones were all solid.
The Gulls entered the clash still without forward Jed Lamb or backman Patrick Mulqueen, while Luke Garner was a late withdrawal.
Punishing turnovers was the name of the game for much of the day - both the Redlegs and Gulls found success when their opposition gave the ball back to them.
That was exactly how Bairnsdale got underway when some sloppy Warragul play out of full back allowed Morrison to walk one in.
Gull Jake Hughes returned serve not long after, baulking around Ethan East and threatening to handball it multiple times before turning and just kicking the goal himself. The Warragul ressies boys loved that one for sure.
The arm wrestle tone of the day was set, with both teams taking turns giving themselves good looks before giving their opponents the same.
The Redlegs broke out to an eight-point lead early in the second thanks to a brilliant set shot from Rees before goals to Heath Jinks, Vinnie Caia and Sam Whibley put the visitors in control.
Though they were unable to build on their advantage all that much, Warragul entered the last quarter up 16 and in a good position - especially if they could get the first goal.
They got it too, thanks to Sam Grummisch running one from the paint of 50 all the way to point blank, and followed it up with further majors from Jordan Stewart, Hobbs and Jinks.
Their lead now close to 40, things looked like they would be cruisy from then on. But like before, momentum swung again, the Redlegs going bang, bang, bang with three goals in no time at all.
The unlikely comeback failed to materialise however, Warragul shutting up shop and taking the four points back west.
Warragul coach Gary Ayres said he was pleased by how his side handled themselves after another six-day break.
"The game is about coping when you lose the momentum and trying to use it best when you have it ... in the end we probably just did it a bit longer," he said.
"I was pretty happy with our fitness and how we handled it.
"We've really shown some character in the wins we've had to grind out which is a good trait to have."
Warragul returns to Western Park this Saturday to play Maffra, where they're hoping to get Lamb and Mulqueen back.
Should they win that as expected, they'll be well set up for a brutal three-week block against Traralgon, Leongatha and Moe.
