By KEVIN HILLIER - Division 1 Seniors
DEER Park sits very comfortably on the precipice of WRFL history, after an emphatic victory in the Second Semi Final on Saturday at Avalon Airport Oval.
In simple terms they were just too good in every aspect of the game from start to finish.
There were no special bells and whistles, they didn’t need them. They did what they had to do with little fuss or fanfare.
They never really looked like losing the game at any stage, a position that must concern whichever team meets them in the Grand Final at Whitten Oval.
Hoppers Crossing had a crack, but just were not up to the standard required to beat this all conquering team.
That is not to say that Deer Park were invincible, far from it.
They frittered away many scoring chances, and even seemed blasé at times in their execution in front of goal.
A half time rev up got their mind back on the job, and their accuracy improved from 1.8 in the second quarter to 5.3 in the third. The game was well and truly over before the last change.
Scott Greenhough was superb in the ruck for the Lions, and shaded Barry Priest Medallist Wayde Skipper, who was far from his dominant best.
The Lions back six is the foundation of the side, and their discipline and support for each other is the springboard for everything the side does.
It will be a very switched on forward line that dismantles this outfit.
Altona has progressed to the preliminary final on the back of ‘surprise surprise’ finding a focal point up forward.
Mitch Turnbull has kicked 24 goals in the past five games and the Vikings have only lost one of those. That day against Sunshine he kicked one.
He will not be allowed to run amok by Hoppers Crossing who has some handy tall defenders to curtail Turnbull’s presence, but if he does get going he will be the difference.
The midfields are pretty even, but Hoppers lack that key forward to kick a bag, unless Jordan Meade plays and does some damage or someone like Jarrod Arnott or Braden Ferrari is moved up forward.
Ryan Kitchen is another who looms as a wild card.
The Turnbull factor could be what prevails here. He will be helped by Joel Magnabosco who is playing his best footy of the season, and loves the big occasion and the big grounds to use his penetrating and deadly accurate kicking.
Jordan Robbins, Brett Shiels and Pele Manivong give plenty of run for the Vikings.
Deer Park won’t mind who they face at Whitten Oval. My tip is they will be lining up against Hoppers Crossing.
Last Modified on 29/08/2016 11:54