Deer Park is peaking at the right time with the side the first team through to the Essendon District Football League division 1 grand final.
Having lost to just two teams this season, the Lions have dispatched them in back-to-back finals sending a message to everyone.
On Saturday, the Lions inflicted West Coburg’s first loss of the season in stunning fashion.
The Lions kept West Coburg goalless in the first quarter and led by 32 points at half time.
The Lions put their foot down in the third quarter to extinguish any hopes of a West Coburg comeback.
Five goals to two increased the lead to 54 points at the final change. With the game well and truly over, the match opened up with the Lions still winning the last quarter to seal a 17.12 (114)-6.8 (44) win.
Lachlan Smart kicked five goals for the Lions with Todd Elton kicking three goals and Jack Dorgan and Spiro Amarantidis kicking two goals each.
Levi Greenwood, who missed the semi final win was best on ground, while Dorgan and Nash Holmes were other standouts.
The Lions now have this week off before the grand final.
West Coburg will aim to regroup ahead of a preliminary final against Rupertswood.
Rupertswood was able to bounce back after a qualifying final loss to Deer Park with a big win against Hillside on Sunday in the knockout semi final.
Hillside led at quarter time but after that it was all Rupertswood which ran away with a 13.10 (88)-5.11 (41) win.
The loss was Charlie Denaro’s final game in charge of Hillside
“It was some really good basic football stuff and they worked hard for each other and they beat us in the inside and they got us on the outside,” Denaro said after the loss.
“I thought our backs were really brave and I don’t know how many goals they kicked, but Rupo is a really high scoring team.
“They can get a run on and they can do some serious damage. We tried and gave ourselves some good looks in the third quarter but we couldn’t capitalised and in the end they outplayed us in all facets.”
Denaro said they entered the game worried about how the group would back up from winning their first division 1 final the previous week.
While they started well, the group tired and all the forays forward and shots on goal after quarter time were the result of a lot of hard work.
Denaro said he walks away pleased that he has left the place in a better place than when he started.
For the full wrap up on Hillside’s loss, go to www.starweekly.com.au
Tara Murray
