Lakes Entrance is alive.
The Seagulls have returned to the East Gippsland Football Netball League top four with a blistering first half setting up a 33-point win over Orbost Snowy Rovers on Saturday, pushing the Blues down to fifth and setting up a tantalising final round.
A loss would have ended the Seagulls’ season. Playing with a win-at-all-costs intensity, Lakes Entrance kicked four goals into the wind to lead by 17 points at the first break, before doubling down with a five-goal to three second term.
Both sides managed just two goals each in a tighter second half, which wasn’t without controversy.
The Blues closed the gap to 18 at the final change, but that was as close as they got as Lakes led from start to finish to declare its season is far from done.
Orbost sent former Lakes Entrance coach, Tommy Smith forward in the third term and he paid immediate dividends, and when he looked to have kicked his third for the term, the Blues were back within 13 points.
But after some intensive banter with the field umpire, the goal umpire went with a point, the Seagulls kicking two goals unanswered goals in the final term on the way to victory.
The Seagulls’ first half dominance stemmed from quality intercepting and rebound off half back, with the forwards and midfielders backing up their defenders through relentless pressure across the ground. Orbost Snowy struggled to find avenues forward and was caught on the hop.
Lakes Entrance repelled and attacked with swift, direct ball movement, with Tom Hudson the main beneficiary, booting three first half goals.
It was a missed opportunity for Orbost Snowy, which must now win its final-round encounter against an in-form Lucknow to have any chance of playing finals.
Sitting level on points with the Seagulls but with an inferior percentage, the Blues must beat the Magpies and hope Lakes Entrance cannot get past reigning premier Wy Yung.
The Seagulls made all the early running on Saturday, kicking an early major before young tall Charlie Graham extended the lead to two goals following a contested mark deep in attack at the 11-minute mark.
Hard-nosed Sam Brown benefitted from smooth movement off half-back and a direct entry, drilling Lakes’ third before Harry Reed capitalised with a set shot early in time-on.
Orbost Snowy had barely threatened the goal line to that point, but a strong tackle from young gun Bobby Bills opened the door for Byron Vickery to put the Blues’ first goal on the board shortly before quarter time.
Orbost Snowy needed a strong start to the second term to wrestle back momentum, and got it when Charlie Mein goaled in the opening minute. That good work was undone immediately when Hudson goaled despite dropping a mark on the lead, restoring the 17-point margin.
Loose Blues checking allowed gun Lakes defender Max Stevens to score the goal of the day. Running up from half back, Stevens marked on the 50-metre arc before going back and nailing a booming set shot from 55 metres out.
Shortly after, high pressure was rewarded when Hudson soccerred through another to extend the lead to 28 midway through the term.
Zac Webb found something out of nothing for the Blues at the other end, but it mattered little when the hardworking Seagulls small forward Sean Smith goaled with a classy banana off a boundary throw-in.
The margin blew out to 34 when Hudson added his third on the stroke of time-on. The Blues managing the final goal of the term, the Seagulls leading by 31 at the main break.
Angus McKenzie and Mitch Banner were the major ball-winners for the Seagulls, developing ruckman Logan Brown was impressive early, and James Beha’s transition into a key defender continues to flourish. George Ioakim kept Blues forward Jarrah Nettleton goalless, while Smith continued his impressive season as a small forward and Hudson remained a constant threat.
Tom Smith kicked three goals for Orbost Snowy and fought hard in the clinches alongside Braeden Ross and Gus Rogers.
Lakes Entrance coach, Darren Martin was delighted with the win, the highlight of the season thus far.
“That was our most complete performance for the year, under pressure, supporters told me after the game that it was the best performance seen by a Lakes team in years,” Martin said.
The second year coach, who will be handing over to Banner in 2027, singled out Beha and Ioakim.
“Nothing gets passed Beha at centre half back, not sure why we didn’t think to put him there from the start, while Ioakim adds plenty offensively and defensively in a back pocket,” Martin said.
The Seagulls will go into the clash with the Tigers at Bullumwaal Road without big men Josh Wykes and Logan Brown.
Wykes suffered a nasty back injury in the second quarter, which will sideline him for the remainder of the season, with Brown having to work.
Interestingly the latter is yet to play in a loss at senior level in his brief football career, which commenced this season.
