Sport
6 August, 2026
Battle of wounded plays out
WHILE Bridgewater’s Lachie Sharp was racking up 25 goals just six kilometres along the highway last Saturday, Inglewood and Maiden Gully were locked in a low-scoring war of attrition.
WHILE Bridgewater’s Lachie Sharp was racking up 25 goals just six kilometres along the highway last Saturday, Inglewood and Maiden Gully were locked in a low-scoring war of attrition.
Needing a win to keep alive their finals hopes, the Eagles scrapped and harassed an under-strength Blues attack, and won by just two points, 8.7 to 7.11.
This was a gutsy win by Maiden Gully, which had been humiliated by the Mean Machine just a week earlier.
The Eagles were down to one on the bench in the last quarter, but they managed to outscore Inglewood by seven points and sneak home.
Both sides were wounded and missing key personnel.
The Blues were without top goalscorer Mischa Fraillon, key forward Dan Godden and coach Jackson Hood, while star midfielder Bregon Cotchett was hobbled by a badly bruised ankle.
Cotchett, usually the midfield dynamo, started the game in the forward pocket and kicked the first two goals of the game, but was switched onball after half-time when Maiden Gully started to consistently win the clearances.
Maiden Gully lost co-coach Angus Monfries to injury before the last change, with other players going down throughout the day.
The weather was perfect, with a slight breeze favouring the southern end, but neither side had any real strike power at its disposal, and with both defences on top, the game was played mainly between the arcs.
Inglewood’s disposal was poor for most of the day and wayward kicking for goal didn’t help its cause, with 1.5 in the second quarter particularly damaging.
The line breakers were crucial, with Inglewood’s Gabe Nevins and Maiden Gully’s Isaac Neretlis both having significant impact with their run and long kicking.
A couple of dinosaurs battled it out in the ruck, with the Woodies’ Tom Kennedy and Eagle Matt Crooks grappling each other in a series of tough contests that probably worked out about even.
Maiden Gully had a chance to put the game to bed in the last minute when Sean Moyle took a mark about 30 metres from goal with the Eagles a point in front.
Despite only being on a slight angle, he missed and Inglewood launched a last-ditch attack with a giant torpedo from the kick in, but the siren sounded as the ball descended towards the centre square.
Maiden Gully’s win gives the side a sniff of making the finals, with the Eagles a game and almost 10 per cent behind fifth-placed Macorna.
They meet Marong on Saturday, with nothing but a win enough to keep their finals’ flame alive while hoping Macorna slips up against Pyramid Hill.
- GARY WALSH
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