Lower grades suffer

While Bairnsdale’s senior team recorded a much-needed Gippsland League victory over Maffra at Maffra last Saturday, it was a difficult day on the field for all other Redlegs football grades during round 13 action.
The under 16s were completely outgunned by the Eagles, scoring just one goal in each half to Oscar Baylis and Banjo Nugent-Brown, as the Eagles cruised to a 66-point victory.
Despite the defeat Bairnsdale still sits three games clear of its nearest rival in fifth spot and finals action does beckon, however the Redlegs will be hopeful of improvement over the final five rounds.
Harry McGuinn, Saxon Buckley, Angus Tanner, Jack Cullinan, Archer Crawley and Doug Ashby were Bairnsdale’s better performers.
The under 18s effectively had their season ended by the Eagles who in a blistering final three quarters scored 10 goals while holding Bairnsdale scoreless.
The Redlegs had a positive start, leading by a solitary point following goals to Charlie Cook, Oliver Emmett and Max Neate, however it was all Maffra thereafter.
Neate, Cook, Tarkyn Scott, Samuel O’Kelly, Gus Russell and Saxon Buckley, the latter stepping up from the under 16s, all had good games.
The loss sees Bairnsdale in seventh spot, four games outside the top five with its finals chances all but gone.
The Bairnsdale reserves remain well and truly in finals contention despite their 18-point loss to the veteran-filled Maffra side.
The damage could have been much worse had the Eagles kicked straight, booting an inaccurate 5.14, however Bairnsdale did try hard in tough conditions.
Jason Waddell kicked two goals and was among the better players along with Reece Carstairs, Damon O’Connor, Charlie Mann and father-son duo Bryan and Jobe Froud