Deer Park has clicked into top gear and is leading the peloton in Western Region Football League division 1.
The four-peat premiership-winning Lions targeted a three-week block to return to their best form and started with Saturday’s commanding 46-point win against Sunshine Kangaroos at John McLeod Oval.
Lions coach Marc Bullen compares their season to the Tour De France.
“We’re sort of at stage eight or nine and the next three weeks we’re going into the Alps,” he said.
“Including today, we’ve got three tough opponents in three weeks, with Altona and Spotswood coming up.
“We got over the first obstacle, which is great.”
Deer Park has quietly rattled off seven wins in a row.
While the Lions started the season slowly, they have returned to their brilliant best in the past month.
“We certainly turned things around going into the St Albans game a few weeks ago after a bit of an indifferent start to the year,” Bullen said.
Deer Park is only going to get stronger as the season wears on.
The Lions welcomed back prime mover Jack Purton-Smith to the midfield on Saturday after having missed all bar round one with a thumb injury.
Key forward Jase Perkins has also returned in the past fortnight. He was close to best-on-ground for the Lions with seven goals against star Sunshine defender Liam Cavanagh.
“Jase kicked seven today on probably the best defender in the league,” Bullen said.
“What he’s going to be able to do for our footy club through the second half of the year is scary.”
It all started in the engine room for Deer Park.
Ruck duo Chris Stewart and Scott Greenhough offered first use to the star-studded Lions running brigade, including Purton-Smith, Kwame McHarg, Jake McKenzie and David Gallagher.
Gallagher’s move on the ball in the second term broke the game open for Deer Park.
The 36-year-old, a former Adelaide and Carlton player in the AFL and a three-time VFL premiership player with Sandringham, was effective both inside and outside the contest.
Best-on-ground honours went to Deer Park half-back flanker Kane McKenzie, who killed Sunshine on the rebound with his dash and skill execution.
In other top-flight games, Albion let a seven-goal lead slip in a six-point loss to Werribee Districts at JR Parsons Reserve.
St Albans is three games outside the top five after a 65-point battering from Altona at Grant Reserve, while Caroline Springs remains without a win after a 73-point loss to flag contender Spotswood at McLean Reserve.
In division 2, Albanvale was uncompetitive after quarter-time in a 141-point loss to Yarraville-Seddon at Robert Bruce Reserve.
