Strzelecki North Bowls Pennant matches were affected by wet weather, with some games delayed but all completed. Traralgon defeated Moe, Longwarry beat Traralgon RSL, and Morwell narrowly won against Drouin. In Division 2, Boolarra, Newborough and Garfield secured victories. Division 3 saw wins for Trafalgar, Moe, Warragul and Thorpdale. Midweek pennant results included Drouin defeating Trafalgar, Traralgon RSL beating Morwell Club, and Newborough winning against Traralgon.
Most Cricket Latrobe Valley clubs now field senior women's teams, and the standard has risen over the past decade. Columnist Liam Durkin points to strong batting at a recent game at Ted Summerton Reserve in Moe, where Emily Nadj scored 30 runs off 16 balls. He says women players are often better at improvised shots, while investment in the women's game still lags behind the men's. Local player Nicole Faltum, who has played in the WBBL for more than 10 seasons, says growing professionalism will lift the standard further.
Tobacco Licensing Victoria says it has closed 100 outlets across Victoria, with 12 in Gippsland in the past two weeks. The Mirboo North shop was issued a 90-day short-term closure notice. Monash MP Mary Aldred says closures are too slow, with an estimated 1000 to 1600 illicit shops in the state, and calls for excise cuts. Reports say some shops have reopened online or relocated, and that organised crime is involved in the trade.
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Moe won all three of its first-round matches in the McGilton Shield, which opened the bowls season at Trafalgar on Saturday, October 10. Moe went on to win six matches across the first two rounds, leading the pack. It lost a round three match to Traralgon, but its close wins were enough to show it is a strong contender in Division 1 this year, after winning Division 2 last year. It was Moe's first McGilton Shield win since 2011/12. In the Barry Shield at Warragul, Warragul and Boolarra each finished on four wins after Churchill's late surge.
