By Nicholas Duck
The top five is set and we're now gearing up for finals as the Gippsland League's last round resulted in several lopsided wins.
Here's what you might have missed this week.
Sale vs Traralgon
There were no mistakes from Traralgon on Saturday as the reigning premiers registered a crushing win on the road over Sale.
Five goals each to forwards Jackson McMahon and Dylan Loprese helped lift the Maroons to a 78-point triumph and a second-place finish on the ladder to boot, the final score 11.9 (75) to 22.21 (153).
Traralgon looked like they were in for a fight midway through the second quarter when three consecutive Sale goals reduced their early lead to just five points.
What actually happened was less a fight and more just the Maroons landing punch after punch as they kicked the next seven goals to put the Magpies to the sword.
The home side appeared to even things up in the third, only for a final quarter onslaught to well and truly blow out the final deficit.
The Maroons finished their home and away season with four straight victories as they now seek to defend their title.
Saturday's qualifying final against Moe should be a fun one.
McMahon was named best on for Traralgon, alongside Luis D'Angelo, Tye Hourigan, Harvey Neocleous, Sammy Hallyburton and Loprese.
Where to now for Sale? They've been carried for a long time by their top-level superstars but with plenty of rumblings that some of them are on their way out the future may be looking quite a bit different.
Trying hard in their round 18 loss were Jack Johnstone in his final game as Sale coach, Archer Gerrand, Benjamin Hall, Cooper Whitehill. Thomas Glenn and Jack McLaren.
Moe vs Wonthaggi
Well you can't say they didn't try.
Wonthaggi gave it their all in a desperate bid for a finals berth on Saturday, easily overpowering an undermanned and underwhelming Moe away from home.
Although other results didn't go their way the Power ended 2025 on a good note, piling on the first 12 goals of the game before going on to prevail 17.13 (115) to 6.9 (45).
In fact, it took until halfway through the third quarter for the Lions to even register a major, the premiership hopefuls made to look absolutely second rate by a Power team playing for their future.
Six goals from the dangerous Cooper McInnes helped the visitors on their way to a dominant result.
Moe came into Saturday's match knowing the result didn't matter much to their finals campaign and named their team as such, leaving out a host of experienced names whether through rest or injury including Trent Baldi, Scott van Dyk, Leigh Poholke, Chris Prowse and Nathan Scagliarini.
Instead it was left to their younger brigade to get the job done and much as they tried, they were no match for the men from the south.
The first term was especially damning in which the Lions failed to even score while Wonthaggi went wild, building a 47-point lead by quarter time.
Morwell and Warragul fans certainly weren't appreciating what was happening as it was then left to their sides to win to keep the Power out of the top five.
And win they did, meaning Wonthaggi are heading to the off-season wondering what could have been following a year cruelled by injuries.
Their best is still damn good, evidenced by their last two weeks in which they knocked off bona fide premiership contenders.
It was those heavy midseason losses while undermanned that came back to bite them, and that's without even factoring in their collapse against Drouin.
Moe now have Traralgon in their sights this Saturday as they seek to win their way through to a date with Leongatha the following week. No doubt there'll be a few changes to the team between now and then.
They'll certainly be happy at the recent ruling allowing VFL players to play Gippsland League finals, reversing an earlier announcement barring them if they'd played more than 12 VFL games. It means we may yet see Riley Baldi return to the Lions between now and the end of the year depending on how the Casey Demons go.
Leading the way for Wonthaggi were Ryan Sparkes, Brodie Mabilia, Cooper McInnes, Anthony Anastasio, Jarvis Harvey and Jarryd Blair.
Thomas Blackshaw, Jordan Shields, Ben Maslen, Ben Daniher, Aaron Paxton and Alex Dijkstra tried all day for Moe.
Bairnsdale vs Morwell
Morwell ensured they'll be making a return to finals in 2025 as they eased to a comfortable 60-point win against Bairnsdale.
Needing a win to guarantee their place in the post-season the Tigers proved too strong away from home, winning every quarter on their way to victory.
The 16.10 (106) to 7.4 (46) result shored up a fourth-placed finish for the yellow and black, locking them in for an elimination final this Sunday with Warragul.
The Tigers set themselves up for success largely through a burst in the second term in which they kicked four goals to one and extended their 11-point quarter time lead into a 33-point one at the half.
From there they were largely untroubled, kicking away late to blow the lead into 'thumping' territory.
Isaac Abas did the bulk of their scoring up front with four goals while Nathan Noblett, Burkeley Macfarlane, Aidan Quigley, Sam Walsh and Harrison McColl all put in excellent performances.
It's been a great turnaround for the Tigers, who looked like they were in no man's land when they were handily beaten by Warragul earlier this season. Since then they've won six of their last seven, making this Sunday must-watch football.
It's back to the drawing board for Bairnsdale after a rather indifferent season saw them slip from eight wins last year to five in 2025.
Their top end talent is solid but the rest have some catching up to do.
Cooper Harvey, Will Mitchell, Tyran Rees, Ricky Tatnell, Ethan East and Oscar Clarke were their best in Saturday's loss.
Leongatha vs Maffra
Top team Leongatha will be entering the finals in winning form after a dominant day against Maffra.
Nobody wants to catch the Parrots off a rare loss, much less at Parrot Park. And Saturday was no different for the poor Eagles, who were left on the receiving end of a good old-fashioned pounding 21.15 (141) to 5.4 (34).
The forward half Parrot pairing of Patrick Ireland (seven goals) and Jenson Garnham (six) proved potent and midfield superstar Aaron Heppell continued his rich vein of form.
Leongatha looked the far stronger side from the first siren, booting the first four of the day and never looking challenged thereafter.
Their second and third terms were especially damaging, the Parronts running rampant to score 14.6 to 1.2 in that time.
They'll now enjoy a week off as they await the winner of Traralgon vs Moe this Saturday.
Jack Hume, Benjamin Harding and Jay Walker were their other players to impress in the Eagles win.
Maffra, meanwhile, sign off on another successful season of improvement despite the heavy defeat.
They now look to change hands in the coaches' box as they plot their way back up the table.
Alex Carr, Andrew McKenzie, Daniel Bedggood, Danny Butcher, Thomas Scott and Jack McQuillen fought the good fight on Saturday.
Drouin vs Warragul
Breathe it in, Gulls fans. You're going to the finals.
For the first time since 2016 Warragul's seniors will be playing off for premiership glory after securing a 43-point win in Saturday's Western Derby against Drouin.
The reopening of Drouin's home ground was a sight to see as the new surface shone in some pristine conditions.
As it turned out it would be the visitors making the most of it, pushing past a plucky Hawks outfit 18.12 (120) to 11.11 (77) in an at times scrappy affair and doing what was required to get through.
It's a good thing they got the job done too, given Morwell and Wonthaggi's wins meant if Warragul lost, they'd have missed out on more than just four points.
In a rather spiteless derby overall the Gulls never really looked at their best but boasted more than enough firepower up forward to hurt the Hawks.
An eight-goal display in the second term had them looking especially lethal and pushed them out to an imposing 33-point lead by half time – one that Drouin never looked like chasing down.
The return of key forwards Brayden Fowler (four goals) and Jordan Stewart (two) gave the Gulls the luxury of spreading the Drouin defence thin to keep the goals flowing, even in the periods where the home side took the ascendancy.
Fowler's performance was especially positive given his injury battles in the second half of the season. Plenty of people around the club were doubtful if he'd make it back in time for finals and if he starts firing at the right time it'll give Warragul a very dangerous new dimension inside 50.
Leading the way for the Gulls overall, however, was recruit Will Hayes.
Hayes, fresh off a campaign with Carlton's VFL team, was sublime through the midfield, showing a touch of class when required and racking up the possessions to compensate for the Gulls' top on-baller Tom Hobbs having a much quieter day.
Hobbs, who was a clear best on ground in this year's first Western Derby, had his influence quelled by some close attention from Hawk Zayne Atkins before being put on ice in the second half when the Gulls' lead became insurmountable.
Fellow Warragul midfielders Isaac Wallace and Riley Senini also stood up, helped greatly by another powerful performance from ruck Sam Whibley and his sublime tap work.
Defender Sean Masterson did well in the absence of usual partners Patrick Mulqueen and Lucas Carter as Liam Serong took on increased duties.
Masterson's first quarter had it looking like he was on his way to an all-time intercept marking game and while Drouin figured out how to circumvent him after that, he still played a key role down back.
Versatile forward Tom Stern rounded out Warragul's best, looking like a real threat aerially and at ground level.
Drouin were best served by on-baller Aden Quirk, who has put up some truly ludicrous numbers during this year. Saturday was no different as he took on the Warragul engine room head on, winning clearances like a man possessed at times.
Seb Amoroso's energy and ferocity up forward was a sight to see as Noah LaFrantz chipped in with two goals, one of them an impressive bomb from long range.
Atkins' job on Hobbs had him among the Hawks' top players as teenager Rylie Baker and ruck Denver Lund chipped in with some handy showings.
After the official opening for the reserve delayed the game by about 10 minutes it didn't take long for Warragul to get going as some great overlap play ended with Koby Grass walking into an open goal.
Gulls coach Jed Lamb doubled the lead not long after and while Drouin had chances to go inside 50, their kicking left a lot to be desired.
Masterson must have thought Christmas had come early as he was gifted mark after mark off Drouin's kicking. That's not to take away from his positioning, a skill that's made him one of the league's best interceptors for years, but you'd have thought he was wearing maroon and gold given the number of times a Hawks kick hit up right on the chest.
It took a 50-metre penalty for Drouin to hit the scoreboard before quarter time, allowing them to avoid the problem entirely.
Early goals in the second to Tom Stern and Jordan Stewart had things looking ominous until Drouin finally found their mojo.
The Hawks ran and carried, now very conscious of avoiding Masterson, and it paid off.
LaFrantz's missile from outside 50 began a run of three goals as Ewan Croucher and Rylie Baker brought the margin back to 11 points.
Whatever nerves Warragul had were quickly eased, however, when Hobbs burst from the centre immediately after, trying to find Jordan Stewart on the lead. Stewart crashed in and brought the ball to ground for Lamb, who gathered and snapped truly.
From there Warragul restored their grip on the contest, firing through the next three after that, two of them to Fowler.
Riley Senini found himself a nice highlight, receiving a handball on the run and slicing through the Drouin half backline to put one through from distance.
A goal to Baker after the siren gave the Hawks fans something to cheer at the main break but it was clear there was an uphill battle to come.
As Wonthaggi belted Moe 25 minutes down the road and winning became even more important for the visitors, Warragul continued their assault in the third quarter.
Four majors to the Gulls were answered by a lone Drouin goal from Jack Fraser, who successfully wheeled around to snap one from the boundary to the surprise of his teammates and himself.
The difference in forward half firepower and the Gulls' experience was holding them in good stead, comfortably ahead by 51 points at three quarter time.
Warragul coach Jed Lamb urged his troops to take no prisoners in the last, knowing a final was all but guaranteed the following week.
By now Hobbs was back in his civilian clothes and on the bench, the Gulls being cautious with their star.
Lamb, Hayes and James Harrison all increased the margin to blowout territory and the Hawks looked set to wilt late, an issue that has popped up in a few of their matches.
To their credit they fought the day out, booting the last four goals of the day to keep the final margin below 50 points – and a hell of a lot more respectable than the 115-point annihilation they suffered in this year's first derby.
Speaking post-game, Lamb said he was "very proud" of his group for getting to this stage.
"It's been off the back of a really challenging six, seven-year period for the club and I've only been here for four years. But my first two, three years we were struggling to get a team on the park, we didn't have enough points, we were getting flogged by 120 points. You have belief but it's still surreal that we're finally here.
"It's no fluke, we've been working our backsides off for the last three years. It's reward for effort.
"I'd hate to play against us to be honest."
Warragul will face Morwell this Sunday and will likely get Mulqueen and Carter back for selection, putting them near full strength.
For Drouin attention now turns to continuing their rebuild, as well as their potential move to West Gippsland. Should that move forward, we may have seen the last Western Derby for a very long time.
Hawks coach Leigh Horsburgh was pleased his team fought out the day and didn't roll over.
"I think if you look at the last time we played them we dropped heads, threw in the towel a bit and it was a pretty dire result for us," he said.
"I think if we had pushed them a little bit harder in terms of scoreboard pressure it might have made it harder for them. To their credit they held us at a distance all day."
In an extraordinarily challenging year Horsburgh was proud of the growth the Hawks showed, where they improved their results the second time around against seven out of nine opponents.
"I'm really happy and proud of the group, how hard they worked not only today but throughout the whole year," he said.
"That's why I do it, the win-loss is great but to see kids develop into men quality senior footballers...I think if you reflect on our group as a whole I struggle to find anyone who's gone backwards.
"We've set the club up for future success if we get the right people in."
