Kwame McHarg has long been considered the best player in the Western Region Football League – and on Saturday he showed why.
When the game was still up for grabs early in the second term, McHarg owned the big moment, streaming down the wing and taking multiple bounces before handing off a goal to teammate Shylo Smith.
That passage of play seemed to kickstart the Lions, who never looked like losing from that point on.
McHarg went on to kick seven goals and was named the best player on the ground.
“It is a great feeling,” he said after the final siren. “I had never actually won a flag until last year with Deer Park so to win two – I am just ecstatic. It is always good to play well. I’m pretty happy with everything at the moment. Someone had to lift and I just wanted to be that person.
“I just pushed hard and made sure I was fighting for everything.”
McHarg dominated the Western Region Football League division 1 competition all season, booting 56 goals as a midfielder.
He has been named in his side’s best players in 11 of their 20 wins.
Deer Park coach Marc Bullen was full of praise for his star.
“He is an outstanding player,” Bullen said. “We recruited him last year and he has gone to another level this year.
“Whether he is in the air on the ground or in the midfield, he is a first-class player.”
Having previously played VFL for Williamstown, McHarg said he was weighing up whether to play at a higher level next year.
While VFL clubs would be lining up to secure his signature, Deer Park captain Chris Stewart believes McHarg can play even higher.
“He is just a ridiculously good footballer,” Stewart said. “If the AFL isn’t on to him yet, I don’t know what they are looking at.”
Joining McHarg in Deer Park’s best players were Stewart, Shylo Smith, Heath Ayres, Shaun Harrison and Jackson Barling.
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