East Gippsland Football Netball League matches return after a week off to celebrate the King’s Birthday Holiday Weekend.
Lakes Entrance will welcome arch rival Orbost Snowy Rovers to the Lakeside Oval as the Seagulls search for their first victory at
home in 2025.
The Seagulls will be looking
to bounce back from last round’s 37-point defeat at the hands
of Lindenow.
A poor effort in the third term which infuriated coach Darren Martin put them out of the contest.
“We were insipid in the third term, they ran all over us, kicking five goals to one. We need to bounce back this week,” Martin said.
The Seagulls look likely to regain Sam Nickless and Mitch Banner from injury, Seb Etheridge will return, while Josh Piper will come into calculations after racking up huge numbers
in his first games for the season
in the reserves.
“We will have some big ins, Sam Brown hopefully will come up and we will defintely look at Jesse Gillham and Josh Piper,” Martin said.
Orbost and Lakes clashes are traditionally close, regardless of positions on the ladder, and no one is more desperate for a win than the Peter Seal-coached Blues.
They sit two matches and considerable percentage outside the top four and loss could put them in dire straits, while a big win and victory by Lucknow over fourth-ranked reigning premier Boisdale Briagolong could suddenly see them
back in the hunt.
Martin is expecting to see the Blues play their possession brand of football. “We will need to man up and cut up the easy possession options, while using the handball and kick style of play a little quicker than we have in recent weeks,” Martin said.
The weather is expected to clear before the weekend, but you can still expect both sides to play a tough and hard style of football.
The East Gippsland Junior Football Association also resumes this week but the Seagulls will enjoy a bye following a weekend off for the long weekend.
Their next match will be on June 22 when they host Lucknow at the Lakes Entrance Recreation Reserve.
