Bairnsdale’s hunt to play senior Gippsland League finals only gets tougher this Saturday.
The Redlegs take on Drouin at Drouin and while the ladder suggests Bairnsdale should head in favourites, the trip to the Hawks’ nest has not been kind to Bairnsdale in recent history.
The boggy, muddy Drouin confine has proven a task almost always insurmountable for Bairnsdale since joining the Gippsland League in 2011, however if ever there was a time to change that trend it would be this weekend.
Bairnsdale’s last gasp loss to Morwell last weekend – its second loss by less than a goal in as many weeks and fourth by less than 10 points for the season – sees it four points outside Sale in the top five, but more worryingly just four points ahead of the Hawks who with back-to-back wins have kept their finals hopes alive.
Between the Redlegs and Drouin on the ladder is perennial finalist Wonthaggi who trail Bairnsdale only on percentage. The Power are making their finals play now and Bairnsdale must too.
Early in the season the Redlegs took the chocolates against a fast-finishing Drouin outfit and that should serve as a confidence builder, however Bairnsdale must find a way to win close games and this Saturday’s clash is no exception.
A victory might not see the Redlegs regain a place inside the top five, but could open up an important gap with a league bye the following weekend likely to come at an important time for coach Logan Austin and his troops who have some tired and sore bodies.
Bairnsdale will do its homework on plenty Drouin ball winners, namely Ed Morris, former Gippsland Power captain Sebastian Amoroso, goal sneak Kye Quirk and the experienced Jordan Kingi.
If ever there was a time for Bairnsdale to play its best, it is now.
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