The race for the 2026 Gippsland League Senior premiership is down to four clubs, with two massive semi-finals headlining the second week of the Forty Winks Finals Series.
Minor premier Moe meets perennial powerhouse Leongatha in Saturday’s Second Semi-Final at Morwell, with the winner progressing directly to the Grand Final.
On Sunday at Leongatha, Wonthaggi and Warragul meet in a knockout First Semi-Final, with the loser’s season over and the winner advancing to next weekend’s Preliminary Final.
SECOND SEMI-FINAL
Moe v Leongatha
Saturday at Morwell
Moe and Leongatha meet for the third time in 2026, with the Lions having taken the points on both previous occasions.
Moe defeated Leongatha 8.6 (54) to 5.12 (42) earlier in the season before producing a brilliant 19.8 (122) to 11.10 (76) victory at Traralgon in the return meeting.
It was the first time since 2009 that Moe had beaten Leongatha both home and away in the same season.
The Lions also created history in Round 10, kicking 10.1 in the second quarter — their highest score in any quarter against Leongatha.
Moe finished the home-and-away season on top of the ladder for the first time since 1972 and now has the opportunity to advance directly to the Grand Final.
Standing in its way is a Leongatha side that has played in a league-record nine consecutive Grand Finals.
The Parrots have an imposing finals record against Moe, winning eight of the clubs’ previous 10 finals meetings, but the Lions enter Saturday having won their past two clashes.
Selected Sides
Moe
B: Scott van Dyk (16), Thomas Long (29), Brock Smith (15)
HB: Myles Poholke (21), Declan Keilty (5), Jordan Shields (14)
C: Max Woodall (40), Blake Mullane (9), Trent Baldi (10)
HF: Harrison Sim (4), Nick Prowse (30), Alex Dijkstra (25)
F: Ben Crocker (17), Riley D’Arcy (8), Harrison Pepper (1)
Fol: Chris Prowse (18), Nathan Scagliarini (26), James Harmes (22)
Int: Aaron Paxton (35), Thomas Blackshaw (7), Liam Masters (13), Ben Maslen (23)
E: Luke Cheffers, Jacob Wood
Ins: Ben Crocker, James Harmes
Leongatha
B: Jackson Harry (7), Sean Westaway (31), Beau Grabham Andrews (24)
HB: Sam Forrester (3), Cade Maskell (23), Timothy Sauvarin (30)
C: Fraser Phillips (12), Thomas Marriott (8), Jack Hume (11)
HF: Zavier Lamers (21), Patrick Ireland (33), Tallin Brill (5)
F: Aaron Heppell (59), Jenson Garnham (2), Nicholas Argento (9)
Fol: Jack Sheridan (28), Luke Bowman (55), Dyson Heppell (58)
Int: Benjamin Harding (14), Justin Pellicano (19), Kim Drew (10), Ty Hall (40)
E: Finn Donohue, Jay Walker, Sam Bradley
Head-to-Head Statistics
Statistics for Finals Week 2 — by Paul Carter
Moe v Leongatha
(1969–2026)
All GL matches: Played 130 — Moe 45, Leongatha 85
Finals: Played 10 — Moe 2, Leongatha 8
Last ten matches: Moe 5, Leongatha 5
Last three matches:
2025 (M) — Leongatha 10.3 (63) d Moe 9.7 (61)
2026 (L) — Moe 8.6 (54) d Leongatha 5.12 (42)
2026 (M) at Traralgon — Moe 19.8 (122) d Leongatha 11.10 (76)
Present winning sequence: Moe 2
Match Aggregate High:
312 points (1997) — Leongatha 37.23 (245) d Moe 10.7 (67)
Match Aggregate Low:
69 points (2008) — Moe 5.6 (36) d Leongatha 4.9 (33)
Highest scores:
Moe — 20.15 (135) in 1993
Leongatha — 42.22 (274) in 1997
Lowest scores:
Moe — 2.1 (13) in 1996
Leongatha — 1.4 (10) in 2006
Greatest winning margin:
Moe — 91 points in 2006
Leongatha — 247 points in 1997
Most goals in a match:
Moe — Ian Jennings, 10 goals (1969)
Leongatha — Adrian Campbell, 19 goals (1997)
Record Quarter Scores
1st Quarter
Moe — 7.7 (49) in 1989
Leongatha — 9.8 (62) in 1997
2nd Quarter
Moe — 10.1 (61) in 2026
Leongatha — 12.3 (75) in 2003
3rd Quarter
Moe — 6.12 (48) in 1975 and 7.6 (48) in 2002
Leongatha — 14.4 (88) in 1997
4th Quarter
Moe — 7.5 (47) in 1993
Leongatha — 16.7 (103) in 1997
Paul Carter’s Notes
The Moe Lions set some marks this year. They beat Leongatha both at home and away for the first time since 2009.
In a stunning second quarter in Round 10 this year they kicked ten goals, their best score in any quarter in a match against Leongatha.
They also topped the ladder, having previously finished the home-and-away season on top of the ladder in 1970 and 1972.
All that is behind them now as they take on the powerhouse Leongatha team, a side that has played in a league-record nine consecutive Grand Finals.
For good measure, Leongatha was also on top of the ladder in the incomplete 2021 season.
It seems just right that one of these teams, and quite possibly both, will contest the 2026 Grand Final.
All roads will lead to Morwell as one of the matches of the season takes place.
FIRST SEMI-FINAL
Wonthaggi v Warragul
Sunday at Leongatha
Wonthaggi and Warragul will create a piece of history on Sunday when they meet in a Gippsland League final for the first time.
There has scarcely been anything between the two clubs across their league history.
From 41 meetings, Wonthaggi and Warragul have each won 20 games, with one draw.
Their two clashes this season were split, with Warragul winning by three points at Wonthaggi before the Power turned the tables at Western Park with an 18-point victory.
Warragul enters Sunday with momentum after a 54-point Elimination Final victory over Traralgon, highlighted by seven goals from Jed Lamb.
Wonthaggi, meanwhile, gets its second opportunity after finishing third at the end of the home-and-away season.
Six of the past 10 clashes between these teams have been decided by 22 points or fewer, suggesting another tight contest could await.
Selected Sides
Wonthaggi
B: Nathan Muratore (24), Jakeb Thomas (19), Reeve Moresco (6)
HB: Ethan Dickison (9), Isaac Chugg (29), Joshua Schulz (13)
C: Jai Williams (38), Brodie Mabilia (3), Hunter Tiziani (12)
HF: Kaj Patterson (8), Shannon Bray (1), Matthew Wade (45)
F: Jack Blair (53), Cooper McInnes (23), Aiden Lindsay (15)
Fol: Jasper Shone (10), Joshua Bates (7), Bryce Joyce (27)
Int: Lachlan Ferguson (47), Kyle Reid (28), Thomas Glen (33), Harry Dawson (20)
E: William Hullick, Jaxon Foon, Ollie Dawson
Ins: Reeve Moresco, Jaxon Foon, Ollie Dawson
Warragul
B: Patrick Mulqueen (19), Sean Masterson (8), Alby Phillips (4)
HB: Levi Moore (23), Rhys Galvin (28), Xavier Olsson (18)
C: Liam Serong (14), Tom Hobbs (25), Caleb McIntosh (30)
HF: Nathan Whitten (29), Tom Stern (26), Jordan Stewart (9)
F: Jake Hughes (5), Jed Lamb (3), Samuel Grummisch (11)
Fol: Sam Whibley (42), Riley Senini (13), Brad Hefford (24)
Int: Vinnie Caia (1), Heath Jinks (15), James Harrison (7), Kai MacLean (6)
E: Isaac Wallace, Matthew Gray, Zac Stewart
Head-to-Head Statistics
Statistics for Finals Week 2 — by Paul Carter
Wonthaggi v Warragul
(1995–1999, 2010–2026)
All GL matches: Played 41 — Warragul 20, Wonthaggi 20, drawn 1
Finals: These teams have never met in a Final.
Last ten matches: Warragul 4, Wonthaggi 5, drawn 1
Last three matches:
2025 (Wg) — Warragul 14.15 (99) d Wonthaggi 5.10 (40)
2026 (Wo) — Warragul 10.9 (69) d Wonthaggi 10.6 (66)
2026 (Wg) — Wonthaggi 10.4 (64) d Warragul 5.16 (46)
Present winning sequence: Wonthaggi 1
Match Aggregate High:
237 points (1995) — Warragul 20.20 (140) d Wonthaggi 14.13 (97)
237 points (1997) — Warragul 25.14 (164) d Wonthaggi 11.7 (73)
Match Aggregate Low:
55 points (2016) — Warragul 4.9 (33) d Wonthaggi 2.10 (22)
Highest scores:
Warragul — 25.14 (164) in 1997
Wonthaggi — 27.18 (180) in 2014
Lowest scores:
Warragul — 2.1 (13) in 2014
Wonthaggi — 2.10 (22) in 2016
Greatest winning margin:
Warragul — 91 points in 1997
Wonthaggi — 167 points in 2014
Most goals in a match:
Warragul — Matt Cumming, 7 goals (1997)
Wonthaggi — Rod Tack, 7 goals (1999)
Record Quarter Scores
1st Quarter
Warragul — 7.2 (44) in 1997
Wonthaggi — 8.3 (51) in 2021
2nd Quarter
Warragul — 6.4 (40) in 1997
Wonthaggi — 8.4 (52) in 1999
3rd Quarter
Warragul — 9.10 (64) in 1995
Wonthaggi — 8.8 (56) in 2014
4th Quarter
Warragul — 7.3 (45) in 1997
Wonthaggi — 9.5 (59) in 2014
Paul Carter’s Notes
Warragul and Wonthaggi meet for the first time in a finals match.
Expectations of a close match are well founded, with the last ten matches between these teams producing no fewer than six games decided by 22 points or less.
This batch of matches features the drawn game in early 2022 and their last two games at Wonthaggi that have had margins of one and three points respectively.
Their most recent meeting was at Warragul’s Western Park home and the Gulls ruined any chance that they might have had by scoring just five goals from 21 scoring shots.
In that game the Power won by 18 points with seven fewer shots at goal.
Accuracy when given the opportunity is vital in finals matches and both will have to be on their game.
