All about the twos this weekend for Sale and Maffra (I ain’t even mad).
With their seniors eliminated last Sunday, the Magpies will now hope for some consolation through the reserves.
Sale reserves have an elimination final of their own on Sunday, taking on Traralgon in the first semi-final.
The Eagles will play Leongatha tomorrow for a spot in the Grand Final.
The Maroons lost the qualifying final to Maffra last Saturday in extra time.
Maffra has been a powerhouse of Gippsland League reserves in recent years, never finishing outside the top three since 2014.
Sale meanwhile has slowly rebuilt its reserves. After a number of years in the doldrums, the Magpies put together a fairy tale run to make the Grand Final from outside the top three last season.
Sale is facing the same path this year, and must keep winning if it is to reach that stage again.
With the seniors now eliminated, the Magpies reserves might be advantaged by manner of getting a few players back.
Jordan Burke looms as one key player still eligible for the reserves.
Remarkably, Bourke could play the same opposition three weeks in a row.
Bourke played seniors for Sale against Traralgon in the last home-and-away round, then played them in the first week of finals, and now could have them again in the reserves final.
Maffra could be in a similar position availability wise, and certainly the team that took the field in the qualifying final last week looked vastly different to some of the seconds sides Maffra has been rolling out this year.
The Eagles will travel to Morwell for their semi-final, and will then surely be watching on intently when Sale takes the field at Maffra the following day.
A rematch from last year’s preliminary final between Maffra and Sale could happen again if the Eagles lose and the Magpies win.
After losing their first five games, the Magpies have put together a remarkable run, only dropping one game since Round 5.
Despite finishing fifth, Sale has been labelled the best team in the reserves competition by some with their finger on the pulse in the world of Gippy League twos.
In senior action, a South Gippsland showdown between Wonthaggi and Leongatha will determine the first team to make the Grand Final.
Latrobe Valley rivals Moe and Traralgon will then face off on Sunday in a bid to keep their seasons alive.
