A battered and bruised Keilor kept its hopes alive of another premiership with a tough Essendon District Football League premier division preliminary final win on Sunday.
After a semi final slip up for a second year, the Blues faced an Airport West side full of confidence as it competed in its first premier division preliminary final since 2013.
While last year the Blues started to get players back at this time of year, they had four players go out of the side.
Nick O’Kearney, Cody Brand and Joel Sadler were all out injured, while Josh Honey was out suspended.
O’Kearney is the only one of the four that might return for the grand final.
Corey Ellis has also been sick the past couple of weeks and started on the bench in the preliminary final.
On Sunday, the Blues set the win up in the first quarter as they made the most of the breeze at Coburg City Oval.
The Blues kicked nine goals in the first quarter to lead by 37 points.
While the Eagles came hard at them multiple times, the Blues always had the answers.
The margin never got under 20, with the Blues winning 16.12 (108)-11.13 (79).
After being tested several times throughout the season and then again in finals, Blues coach Mick McGuane said he was proud of the group to win through to its third straight grand final.
“It’s an enormous effort considering who we haven’t got,” he said. “We can dwell on that discussion and we’ve had to move on pretty quick.
“It sort of tests your depth and your program to a point. To get our reserves into a granny and seniors into the grand final, it validates what we do.”
McGuane said they were pushing the envelope with some of their selections as players get their opportunities before they normally would.
He said they had to go with what their gut feel was.
“The only way to expose them is to play through necessity,” he said. “And you have to live that mantra of select 22 that you think can get the job done.
“Kade Long our under-18 captain comes in and plays on [Max] Rider who was in the Sydney Swans academy and he’s kicked 50-plus goals.
“You plan and earmark potential threats in the opposition club and then go with who you think can get the job done.
“Over four quarters we got a lot right.”
McGuane said they were much happier with the defensive pressure the side brought for the whole game after letting themselves down in the third quarter in the semi final.
Jermarl Daly kicked six goals in a best on ground performance for the Blues.
Jamie Papalis and Harrison Kennedy were other standouts.
The Blues will face Strathmore in the grand final on Saturday at Windy Hill.
Jay White and Brad Xavier have big question marks over them after leg injuries on Sunday.
McGuane said they were keen for the challenge.
