THE scramble to the finish line is on in the Western Region Football League division 1, with only five teams left after 18 brutal home-and-away rounds.
Deer Park is the bolt-from-the-blue team, defying the odds to claim the minor premiership in just their second year back in the top flight.
Spotswood is the finals masters, figuring in the previous six grand finals and winning four.
Sunshine Kangaroos are the rally team, propping up in the premiership conversations after a stunning second half of the season.
Although wobbling a little, defending champion Altona will not want to relinquish that tag easily.
St Albans are underdogs but you can bet they know only four straight wins stand between them and the holy grail.
This weekend will usher in four weeks of skilful and uncompromising football, so we look at who’ll be the game breakers and to try to work out who will be on the dais on September 14.
DEER PARK
It usually starts with Chris Stewart. The big man is regarded as one of the best ruckmen in the WRFL. What makes him so damaging is his mobility and ability to win the ball around the ground. Keep an eye out for Kwame McHarg too, a crumbing forward with more than 60 goals.
SPOTSWOOD
How many times will the WRFL radio commentators say “Chris O’Keefe takes it out of the centre, runs, bounces and hits his forward lace out”? Watch out for mid-sized forward Christian Elliott, who is regularly on the end of those spearing passes.
SUNSHINE
The importance of a fit and firing Patrick Wiggins to underpin the forward line cannot be understated. What’s better than one Wiggins up and about? Two. Brother Simon who, like Patrick, played in the AFL, has featured in the second half of the season.
ALTONA
A lack of a spring-heeled forward was the only slight on the Vikings last year and Jayden Post has filled the void with more than 60 goals. And Steven Kennedy is a classy mover who can play half forward or half back.
ST ALBANS
Tim Jenkins has won two Priest Medals and is showing no signs of slowing down. The best part for Jenkins is that he doesn’t have to do it alone this year with the Saints’ developing wider contributions. Opposition defences will be wary of Lachlan Baddeley, Daniel McKerracher and Aaron Henneman inside 50.
THE MATCHES
In the opening week of the finals Altona and St Albans will battle it out in the elimination final, while Spotswood and Sunshine meet in the qualifying final. Deer Park has a week’s rest after finishing as minor premiers.
