Minor premier Deer Park will have to take the long road if it is
to make the Western Region Football League division 1 grand final.
The Lions were gallant but unable to stop a final-term burst from
Spotswood, which came from behind on Saturday to win 15.7 (97) to 11.16
(82) and book a seventh consecutive grand final appearance.
PICTURE GALLERY: Deer Park v Spotswood
Deer Park’s opponent in Saturday’s preliminary final will be Sunshine, which beat Altona.
In an entertaining, high-quality game at Avalon Airport Oval, Deer Park led the Woodsmen by 16 points at three-quarter time.
That lead should have been greater, as the Lions were left to rue
missed opportunities in a dominant third term. They kicked 3.8, holding
Spotswood to two goals, but the gap was not big enough to hold off a
determined Spotswood outfit in the final quarter.
The Woodsmen kicked six last quarter goals while holding Deer Park, held to 1.1.
Deer Park had the better of the first quarter, kicking three goals to one to lead by 13 points at quarter-time.
In a frantic second term, Spotswood booted six goals to four, cutting Deer Park’s lead to just four by half-time.
The Lions lost key midfielder and coach Marc Bullen to an ankle
injury in the second term, and were further hurt by an ankle injury to
on-baller Shaun Harrison in the third quarter.
Bullen said he was touch and go to play in the preliminary final, while Harrison is a good chance of being fit.
Josh Jones, Luke Guerra and Cameron Trewin all booted two for Deer Park but leading goalkicker Kwame McHarg drew a blank.
Spotswood coach Chris O’Keefe kicked four goals for the Woodsmen and Mahmoud El-Hawli nailed three.
Bullen spoke of a missed opportunity.
“Going into the last quarter with about a two-goal lead . . . it should have been about six goals,” he said.
“We had most of the play and kicked 3.8. When you take those opportunities it puts a dent in the other team’s confidence.
“We needed to land the knockout punch and we didn’t and we
couldn’t fight their charge in the last quarter. But That’s footy, and
we have to take the long, hard road now.”
Still, the Lions will head into the preliminary final confident of
reaching a first WRFL division 1 grand final since 1995 after beating
Altona twice this season and splitting honours with Sunshine.
Spotswood is a seasoned finals competitor, and will be extremely
tough to beat in two weeks’ time. But on Saturday’s evidence, Deer Park
could be best placed.
