Parrots pumped
In the clear: Leongatha’s Roy Mullins gains a clear possession and looks for options. Photo by Mark Drury.
By Kate Pellicano
BILLED as the clash of the round, the night game between the top two sides Leongatha and Sale was an absolute fizzer.
In front of Leongatha’s home crowd expectations were high but Leongatha was humiliated, failing to score a major for the whole match.
Leongatha’s 0.10.10 against Sale on Saturday night was their lowest ever score against Sale, their previous low being 2.8.20 in 1991.It is also the Parrots second lowest in this league after their score of 0.9.9 against Garfield in 2007.
Coming into the finals this weekend, Sale is now red hot favourite for the flag. Leongatha has to regroup quickly as they face Maffra in the Qualifying Final this Saturday.
It has been a season to forget for the ‘Gatha with coach Will Thursfield out for the remainder of the season and news that Cameron Stone will also miss the remainder with a broken leg.
The Beau Vernon injury has also been very upsetting for the club but they will try to regroup now for the finals.
Match Report
The Leongatha Parrots went up against the Sale Magpies under lights at Leongatha, being the last home and away game for the season.
With the Magpies only losing the one game for the season, the Parrots new it wasn’t going to be an easy challenge. Dave Gourdis and Nick Phelan were both back from injury, with Brock Davidson omitted. The ground was in great condition, with the wind icy cold.
Sale came out firing on all cylinders, kicking the first goal of the match, Sale having majority of the play throughout the first quarter with the Parrots keeping up with but the score board saying otherwise.
Both sides were very quick with Sale always being able to find the free space and have the extra running player. The Parrorts went into the quarter time break trailing the Sale Magpies by twenty points.
In the second quarter Sale came out strongly with very slick and quick hands. The Magpies were very strong with the Parrorts trying to match up to their skill level but were just the little step behind the Magpies, running into open goal and making the Parrorts hurt, kicking it easily into the goals with no Parrots player manning up, making it way too easy for the Sale players.
Tas Clingan, great with the ball, but then undid his hard work getting pinned for holding the ball. He made amends when he put his body on the line for the team, sending a Sale player twice his size flying, displaying great courage. Rhett McLennan was marking strongly in the Parrots backline, kicking a long bomb to Dwayne Holt, who marked strongly. But, unfortunately, Sale was too strong, picking up the crumbs and turning the ball over, taking it to their end and kicking a goal.
Going in to half time the Parrots still hadn’t managed to kick any goal,s only the five points, with Sale displaying great defensive skills and slick passages of playing going into the half time break with thirty six point lead, with a very low scoring game.
Going into the third quarter Sale Magpies were putting on all the pressure, having a lot of control throughout the whole three quarters, with Leongatha making it easier for the Magpies, turning the ball over more than they should. Chris Verboon was marking strongly as he does week in week out.
The Magpies were able to capitalize ninety percent of the time as it moved up the ground into their forward line. Sale’s Mitch Davis and Dylan McLaren both got two quick goals late in the third, both marking strongly making it hard for the Parrots to match.
Both teams were showing just how intense and high the pace the game was played at with a lot of the Parrot and Sale players starting to cramp up, as the pressure took a toll on their bodies.
Just moments before the siren, Sale kicked a quick goal, scoring another six points with the Parrots still with no goals on the score board, down by fifty nine points going into the last quarter.
In the fourth quarter the Parrots came out strongly, winning the ball, moved it on quickly trying to score but unsuccessfully kicking a point. Sale Magpies were out marking Leongatha and out smarted them all game.
The Parrots deliverance was very poor, over kicking to their team mates but Sale with the smarts quickly picked up the crumbs, taking it to their forward line getting two quick goals, just displaying they were the better team on the night, and the team to beat come finals time.
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