Lions pounce Parrots for statement win

One side confirmed their premiership favouritism in style on Saturday as another top five team rode a wave of momentum late.

Here's what you might have missed this week.

Moe vs Leongatha
Confirmed: it's Moe and then daylight.
The Lions have fully asserted themselves as the team to beat for the 2026 flag after a statement 46-point win over reigning premiers Leongatha on Saturday.
Moe made their move early, kicking 10 goals in the second quarter alone to leave the Parrots shellshocked.
Although the league's top team of the last decade were able to steady somewhat, drawing back within 24 points, the damage was already done as Moe romped to victory 19.8 (122) to 11.10 (76).
The second term onslaught was the first time Leongatha have conceded 10 goals in a quarter since the 2012 qualifying final.
The conditions did the Parrots no favours in their comeback efforts as rain teemed down, turning the Traralgon Showgrounds into a big puddle late in the day.
Myles Poholke once again led the goals with five majors, bringing his season total to 52 from 10 games. Safe to say he'll be featuring heavily in the votes come awards night.
Former Melbourne Demon and Western Bulldog James Harmes wasn't far behind on four in a best on ground performance.
Moe have enjoyed one of the more talented lists in recent seasons and having only added to it in the off-season now have an embarrassment of riches at their disposal.
If they don't win the flag with the weapons they have something's gone seriously wrong.
Their other top performers were Trent Baldi, Nathan Scagliarini, Blake Mullane and Jordan Shields.
Leongatha must now deal with the reality of being in an unusually indifferent run of form. The Parrots have won just one of their last four, with losses to Moe and Wonthaggi and a draw against Warragul.
Now six points outside the top three, they've got work to do.
Fighting hard all day for them were Tom Marriott, Aaron Heppell, Curtis Murfett, Jackson Harry, Sam Bradley and Tallin Brill.
Wonthaggi vs Morwell
Wonthaggi kept up their strong run of form by knocking off Morwell to the tune of 34 points.
It wasn't always pretty, the second half especially, but the Power had far too much quality on the park, keeping the Tigers goalless across quarters three and four to prevail 9.9 (63) to 3.11 (29).
The result sees Wonthaggi extend their winning streak to six while Morwell have won just one of their last eight.
A first quarter assault set the home side up nicely for the day, with the Power piling on five goals to none. A sixth was added soon into the second term and against a team struggling to put a score on, that buffer was close to a match-winning lead.
The Tigers rallied for the next three but that was to be their only purple patch for the day as they failed to put one through the big sticks past half time.
Neither side were in a scoring mood at that time to be fair in a game that largely played out to an inevitable conclusion.
Wonthaggi's best included Joshua Bates, Isaac Chugg, Jasper Shone, Hunter Tiziani, Reeve Moresco and Thomas Glen as they now prepare for an almighty clash with Warragul.
Last time they met it went down to the wire so keep an eye out for an entertaining battle.
Battling manfully for Morwell were Lachlan Ainsworth, Zachary Anderson, Tyler Hillier, Aidan Quigley, Campbell Blewett and Maclan McInnes.
Bairnsdale vs Traralgon
Traralgon have made the most of a fourth quarter surge to take down Bairnsdale by 38-points away from home.
The Maroons led by just three points at the final change of ends but came out firing in the last, slamming home six unanswered goals in a vital 12.12 (84) to 6.10 (46) win.
It was a rather limp ending to what had, up to that point, been a tough game to read.
Neither team had let the other out of their sight on the scoreboard, with the largest lead being a 13-point advantage to the underdog Redlegs in the third term.
The Maroons are a quality outfit, however, and when it was required they turned on the jets, powering ahead in an impressive display.
The win sees them keeping ahead of sixth-placed Maffra while also closing to two points behind Leongatha.
Playing well for the Maroons were Liam Willaton, Connor Ambler, Matthew Northe, Tom Hamilton, Cooper Anderson and Mitchell Mustoe.
The Redlegs will be proud of their fight for three quarters but majorly disappointed by their lack of it late. Their top performers were Tyran Rees, Oscar Baylis, Randall Stewart, Jonah Walker, Lachlan Byrne-Jones and Rex Hargreaves.
Sale vs Maffra
Maffra has once again claimed the Battle of the Birds against Sale with an emphatic 126-point win.
With their long time rivals struggling this season the Eagles wasted no time sinking the boot in even further, doing it easily 25.16 (166) to 6.4 (40).
Maffra began the day slowly but ramped things up in the second term where they kicked eight goals to open up a match-winning lead.
Jack McQuillen and Seth Smith both booted five as Thomas Scott, Zachary O'Keefe, Danny Butcher, Leo Stephenson and Sam Anderson all starred.
While the top five looks unlikely to change Maffra is certainly the team most likely to come in as they sit one game behind Traralgon.
Unfortunately for them games against Moe and Leongatha loom large in the weeks to come.
Flying the flag for Sale were Ashton Wright, Adam Wallace, Benjamin Hall, Cooper Rand, Darcy Van der Voort and Mason Annear.