Lakes Entrance cruised into the 2026 East Gippsland Football Netball League reserves grand final with an emphatic 84-point preliminary final victory over Lindenow at the Bairnsdale City Oval on Sunday.
With the outcome virtually settled early after the Seagulls booted 10 unanswered goals in the first half, attention quickly shifted to whether full forward Noah Bottom could register his 100th goal of the season.
The major milestone arrived at the 14-minute mark of the third quarter when Ben Cameron hit Bottom on the lead. Bottom converted from 25 metres to extend the lead to 85 points, sparking enthusiastic celebrations from teammates and supporters.
Lakes Entrance entered the contest without injured duo Finn Somerville and Sam East. Coach Ben Rotheram took the field but spent most of the day near goal while carrying a lower-leg injury.
The Seagulls wasted early chances before asserting control to build a 26-point quarter-time lead. Best-on-ground Brendan Bassett dominated from the outset, controlling stoppages and using his run-and-carry to dictate terms.
James Daly kicked Lakes’ first major before being carried off with a knee injury, though he returned shortly after to provide blistering pace on the wing alongside Pat Halford. Bassett added a goal of his own and set up two for Bottom, while rising star Charlie Graham began to assert his presence in the air.
Lindenow moved Villimi Liavaa onto Bassett at the first change, but the cagey Seagull continued to win clearances. Goals to Cameron, Tyrone Hayes and a double to Graham pushed the lead to 62 points by half time. Lindenow was repeatedly turned back by strong defensive work from Brayden Baade and Charlie Goold.
The physical intensity escalated in the third term. Daly set up Bottom for his third before Hayes added another. Moments later, Bottom brought up the century with his fourth goal. Lindenow finally broke its drought through Thomas Duignan, but still trailed by 59 points at three-quarter time.
Lindenow enjoyed its most productive stretch in the final term, adding goals through Vaughan Evans and Zac Stewart. However, Lakes Entrance continued to pull away, with Graham and Hayes each finishing with four goals for the match.
Bassett was best afield for the Seagulls, well supported by Halford, Matthew Duggan, Graham, Hayes, Goold and Cameron. Alexander Stanton fought hard in the ruck for Lindenow, with Zac Stewart, Liavaa, Marc Desio, Braidan Wylie-Commons and Duignan among the Cats’ best.
Lakes Entrance now faces undefeated reigning premier Boisdale Briagolong in Saturday’s decider.
FINAL SCORE
Lakes Entrance 4.4 10.5 13.7 16.11 (107)
Lindenow 0.2 0.3 1.4 3.5 (23)
GOALS – Lakes Entrance: N. Bottom 4, C. Graham 4, T. Hayes 4, J. Daly 2, B. Cameron 1, B. Bassett 1. Lindenow: Z. Stewart 1, T. Duignan 1, V. Evans 1.
BEST – Lakes Entrance: P. Halford, M. Duggan, C. Graham, T. Hayes, C. Goold, B. Cameron. Lindenow: A. Stanton, V. Liavaa, M. Desio, B. Wylie-Commons, Z. Stewart, P. Hayden.
