The Eagles held the edge throughout the match, beginning well with five goals in the first term with two each from Joel Bristow and Patrick Walker.

Maffra took what was to be a match-winning 19-point lead into half-time before both teams kicked three goals in the second half. The Eagles won the match 9.5 (59) to 6.7 (43).

Scott Nowak stood out for the Eagles, coach Andrew Dunsmuir was terrific in the ruck, while Daniel Saunders, Bristow and Justin McMahon were also effective.

MORWELL kicked 5.6 (36) to defeat Sale 3.5 (23) in a reserves first semi-final played in slippery conditions at Warragul on Sunday.

Water and mud splashed up as the players on both sides made light of the difficult conditions.

The Tigers got their winning break kicking with the wind in the first term to lead by 13 points at the first change, but the Magpies failed to make use of the breeze in the second quarter apart from a goal kicked by Brad McKay from wide out on the flank which must have travelled more than 60 metres. The Tigers managed to kick a goal into the breeze to set up a 15-point half-time lead.

The Magpies dominated the second half but could not transfer that to the scoreboard with the Tigers still 20 points up at the last change before Sale began to make a charge.

A Dave Waddell goal cut the Tigers' lead to eight points.

Luke Bates was a tower of strength in defence and kept rebounding the ball but goals were hard to score in the slippery conditions.

Thys Stanistreet, who kicked four goals for the Tigers, took a diving mark on the boundary line and kicked the match sealing goal in the closing stages.

The Magpies named Bates as their best, he handled the conditions well and kept finding targets when clearing the ball. Lipman rucked well and marked well in the greasy conditions, Waddell was another of the Magpies who revelled in the conditions, McKay kicked the ball further than any player, Kris Morrison was solid in defence and the mud and slush did not take the edge off Jackson Glenane's pace.