■ Winning a grand final is a feeling like nothing else. It may not be the best feeling in your life, but it is unique and hard to describe in the moment. Time makes it easier to articulate, but that rush when the final siren goes is a moment suspended in time. Footballers today are lucky that every phone is a camera and those moments are captured to keep and cherish. I am sure blokes like Barry Priest, Alan Clough and Spud Murphy would love to have footage of their games to look back on. I was not a fan of the decision to split the WRFL competition into three divisions midway through this year. Initially, I thought it rewarded mediocrity. After seeing the impact it has had on clubs such as Laverton, Albanvale and Braybrook, I have changed my mind. Those clubs were on Desolation Boulevard, but the division 3 finals series has revived them and given them a really good platform for 2015. Congratulations to Michael Shepperbottom and everyone at Braybrook. A premiership is a premiership.
■ After going close several times in the past five years, Parkside has won a flag, taking the WRFL division 2 title over West Footscray. Parkside, a foundation club, fielded two sides in its first year. Senior coach Nathan Juegan is a meticulous planner and thoroughly deserves the flag. In last year’s grand final he ruptured his achilles while playing, and it’s been a tough year for him. I have no idea whether the club has plans to contest division 1 next year. And I don’t know if Yarraville Seddon Eagles is going down. There was a time when this was an automatic occurrence, but it’s no longer the case.
■ The season is over for the Werribee Football Club after a heartbreaking loss to Williamstown on Sunday. The Tigers were five goals up at three-quarter time but were run down in the last term, losing by 26 points. Senior coach John Lamont has done well in his first year, but he will be disappointed by that loss after such a gutsy display in the first three quarters. From here, Williamstown will play Box Hill Hawks and Footscray will take on Port Melbourne. As a western suburbs boy I hope the VFL Cup comes to this side of the Westgate. With Werribee, I think a Footscray win would be fantastic.
■ Williamstown Cricket Club’s junior registration day is this Saturday at its Morris Road ground from 10.30am until noon. If you are interested, contact Cam Smith on 0423 401 659 or williamstown@club.cricketvictoria.com.au
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