By Nicholas Duck
An upset win had one team up and about while an early finals preview has given us a clear frontrunner in the early part of the Gippsland League season.
Here's what you might have missed this week.
Morwell vs Bairnsdale
Bairnsdale's season is officially off and rolling courtesy of a surprise 21-point triumph over Morwell away from home on Sunday.
Many around the league would have pencilled this one in as a Tigers victory coming in but would have been eating their words afterwards, the Redlegs too hot to handle 17.14 (116) to 14.11 (95).
Oscar Morrison (seven goals) was the star for the visitors as he created headaches for the Morwell defenders all day.
Outside of just Morrison's influence the result came off the back of Bairnsdale's barnstorming second term in which they booted 7.3 to 2.0 to open up a 32-point buffer at the main break.
Try as they might the Tigers couldn't fight their way back with the Redlegs going on to record their first win of the year.
It's a big result for Bairnsdale, whose first two matches did little to inspire confidence - especially after the loss of primary ball-winner Will Mitchell in the off-season.
But when the game was there to be won they found a new matchwinner in Morrison.
Big man Ethan East also performed strongly for the winners, as did Tyran Rees, Cooper Harvey, Hamish Dawson and Damon O'Connor.
It's back to the drawing board for the Tigers, but Aidan Quigley, Hugh Dunbar, Zachary Anderson, Burkeley Macfarlane, Lachie Cloak and Lachlan Ainsworth can hold their heads high despite the loss.
Traralgon vs Moe
A furious final quarter flurry has set up Moe as the league's early premiership favourite as they dismantled Traralgon by 54 points.
Having led by just 11 points heading into the final quarter of their marquee Anzac Day night clash, the Lions stamped their authority late in brutal fashion, slamming home seven unanswered goals to walk away comprehensive winners 14.9 (93) to 5.9 (39) on Traralgon's home deck.
Up until then the game had been largely what punters expected out of a replay of last year's preliminary final in a tight, tense affair.
The two teams went largely goal for goal throughout the night until Moe grabbed a buffer late in the third through goals to Ben Crocker and Alex Djikstra.
What followed was a procession of possessions, the Lions simply irresistible in the last as they broke through again and again.
They loved their work too – forward recruit Riley D'Arcy booted a banana beauty from the boundary and was all too happy to let the Traralgon faithful know about it when he ran right up to them blowing kisses.
D'Arcy finished the night on four goals to lead all comers and was named in his side's best, alongside Ben Maslen, Scott van Dyk, James Harmes, Myles Poholke and Jordan Shields.
Mitch Mustoe, Tye Hourigan, Frazer Brouns, Joel Scholtes, Mitch Membrey and Jye Neilson kept the Maroons going early.
Maffra vs Leongatha
Jenson Garnham has dined out up forward for the second time in as many weeks, booting eight goals to lead Leongatha to an 89-point thumping against Maffra.
Garnham's haul beats out his seven-goals against Bairnsdale the week before as the Parrots were far too powerful for the Eagles to handle, winning 25.11 (161) to 11.6 (72).
The warning signs were there early when Leongatha came out firing with five of the first six goals and things only progressed from there.
Maffra showed more resistance in the second quarter - they only lost it 2.3 to 3.4 - but after half time the one-way traffic resumed.
Garnham now sits atop the Gippsland League's goalkicking table ahead of Moe recruit Riley D'Arcy and Warragul key Jordan Stewart.
Not a bad effort for someone who was held goalless in round one. Next we'll see how he handles some attention from Tye Hourigan in this Saturday's grand final rematch.
Apart from Garnham, Leongatha enjoyed excellent showings from Aaron Heppell, Thomas Marriott, Benjamin Harding, Curtis Murfett and Sam Forrester.
Maffra's better performers included Jett Killoran, Macauley Pendergast, Sam Anderson, Danny Butcher, Jack McQuillen and Jack Armstrong.
Wonthaggi vs Drouin
It was an Anzac Day to forget for Drouin after they were absolutely destroyed by Wonthaggi.
The Hawks were outmuscled and outdone for four straight quarters in a game that quickly blew out beyond saving, the final score 4.4 (28) to 23.20 (158).
The expanses of the Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve were almost impenetrable for the visitors, who kicked just one goal in the first half.
When you're fielding a team whose average age skews close to 20 coming up against bigger bodies is always going to be an ask. And that's just what happened on Saturday as the Hawks just couldn't compete with the more mature Power stars on the inside and couldn't keep up when they raced away on the outside.
It led to the Power booting the first eight goals and by then it was game over.
It's a disappointing result for Drouin, especially after their extremely impressive fighting effort against Traralgon the week prior.
Power star Cooper McInnes led scoring for the day with five goals, while teammate Blake Cornelis finished on four.
Drouin felt the absence of their Gippsland Power stars and Lane Ward, who all exited the team after last week and left fair holes to fill as a result.
Zayne Atkins fought the good fight for the Hawks, first off half back where he shone against Traralgon before being forced into the midfield when Drouin desperately needed a boost at the contest. He was later awarded the club's Anzac Medal for his efforts.
Skipper Seb Amoroso never backed down as always and Riley Wierzbicki had his moments despite being well beaten in the ruck.
Tommy Trist, Max Williames and Jack Walsh were Drouin's other better players.
Wonthaggi's best was big man Daniel Bourke, who feasted on the Hawks' undersized ruck matchups to give his teammates first use more often than not.
Cornelis' four majors repaid the faith after he was recalled from the reserves while Bryce Joyce, Kaj Patterson, Brodie Mabilia and Nathan Muratore all starred for the home side.
Aside from their size advantage, the Power did especially well at forcing Drouin to play a style that didn't suit them.
Wonthaggi's zone defence put the Hawks under pressure from the first bounce, keeping them from sweeping it as wide as they wanted.
When – not if - the turnovers came Tristan Francis' men delighted in sweeping the ball up the field and giving themselves good looks inside 50.
Maybe it was some leftover frustration from letting their match against Warragul slip but the Power were in no mood to mess around, quickly piling on the pain after an inaccurate first quarter kept things relatively close.
It wasn't until late in the half when the game was already lost that Drouin found their first goal after debutant Lachlan McDonald won a free kick, handing it off to Williames who kicked truly.
McDonald's first match was a rare highlight for the Hawks, putting in some good efforts across half forward and even kicking his first senior goal.
Drouin coach Jordan Kingi said the game resembled the side's round one loss to Warragul.
"We just got beaten up by bigger bodies," he said.
To their credit they set up a really good zone and forced us to play skinny football which is not the way we want to play.
"I said to the boys afterwards we can't focus on the negatives, we've got to take the positives. Some of those young guys got to see up close what it takes."
Now 0-3 the Hawks have had one very good effort and two shockers.
They'll be hoping to get some talent back before hosting Sale next week in what looms as a real chance.
Like Drouin the Magpies have struggled to make an impact in the early parts of the season and will also be eyeing this off as a rare opportunity for a win.
Warragul vs Sale
There's a scene in the Looney Tunes movie Space Jam where the villainous Monstars are piling on points so quickly against the Tune Squad in their basketball game that their side of the scoreboard eventually changes to read 'kinda one-sided isn't it?'
It might have been a joke but the scoreboard at Western Park may as well have read the same by 5pm Sunday as Warragul launched an absolute massacre on a hapless Sale side, shattering all sorts of records to rack up a whopping 182-point win.
Outside of some brief moments of resistance it was an absolute procession for the home side, who were utterly ruthless with and without ball in hand and eventually walked away winners 33.23 (221) to 6.3 (39) to move to 3-0.
It was a record-smashing day for the home side, who easily eclipsed their previous highest score against Sale (183) and largest margin (88).
Making it all the more impressive was the fact they did it without the likes of Jed Lamb (unavailable), Liam Serong (VFL Young Guns), Rhys Galvin (VFL) and Patrick Mulqueen (soreness).
Fifteen different Warragul players all kicked a goal during the obliteration, led by co-captains Tom Stern (five) and Tom Hobbs (four).
It didn't stop there either, with key forward Jordan Stewart and young gun Cameron Thompson also contributing four each.
It was one of those days where the goal umpires were spending half the day very bored.
Hobbs himself was putting up some genuine video game numbers. Whether it was bursting from the middle, linking up in a chain or finishing the work up forward, he was everywhere in a best on ground performance.
It felt only fitting that he was the one to push the Gulls' score past the 200 barrier when he got on the end of yet another sweeping Warragul play to thump it through from point blank.
That kind of easy play really was the story of the day. Past quarter time Warragul did as they pleased.
The Gulls won the ball cleanly out of stoppages, shrugged tackles, ran hard and generally treated the Magpies with impunity.
When Sale did get the ball more often than not they were handing it straight back, watching as Warragul would rack up yet another scoring opportunity.
While Hobbs was Warragul's top performers everyone had their moments. Up and coming midfielder Riley Senini was another, combining beautifully with Hobbs to whisk the ball out of the centre time and time again.
Former captain Brad Hefford exemplified the team first mentality Warragul had while highly talented youngsters Levi Moore, Sam Grummisch and Lucas Carter got plenty of the footy.
This is the kind of game that's been a long time coming for Gulls fans. Some supporters at Western Park have sat through their team being on the opposite side of the result and would no doubt be delighted to see their team utterly slaughter a team that was in the senior grand final just four years ago.
As public as some of Sale's issues have been it was still a little shocking to see just how outmatched they really were against a side like Warragul.
Outside of a more positive first quarter the Magpies had no answers despite some solid efforts from the likes of Thomas Wrigglesworth, Finn Wilson, Mason Annear, Tyson House, Kaden McCulloch and Benjamin Hall.
Surprisingly, they actually held the lead eight minutes in when Mason Annear (two goals) and Brad Dessent went back to back.
The Gulls would quickly level proceedings before taking the lead through a beauty from Heath Jinks under pressure, and from there didn't look back.
Warragul continually got the ball out of the middle far too easily, pushing forward with little pressure and finding teammates in space.
Stern provided a highlight in the second term when he brought the ball to ground against two opponents, collected his own crumb and nailed the shot on the run.
Sale's day after quarter time was perhaps best summed up by a play in the third term where a Sale defender under no pressure kicked it 15 metres straight to Stern, who promptly put it back over his head.
Even ruck Sam Whibley got in on the action, enjoying some time up forward in the last with two majors.
The good vibes continued into the rooms at Western Park, where Warragul included a number of their junior players in the team song.
Coach Gary Ayres was understandably very happy.
"I thought early on Sale were playing a smart brand of footy. Their ability to change lanes and hit up short, honour the lead with a bit of speed put our boys on their heels a bit," he said.
"They were moving the ball end to end a couple of times. Once we got a hold of that I thought we were much better at turning the ball over. And once we turned the ball over we were able to score quite heavily.
"I thought pretty much everyone had a time where they impacted. That was pleasing."
Warragul will travel to Bairndale this Saturday hoping to improve to 4-0.
Photo: Wazshots
