Spotswood’s Cameron Sharp is in hot pursuit as he tries to control the footy. 69926 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
BY MICHAEL EsPOSITO
SPOTSWOOD will face a rematch with Altona this Saturday, as Albion won through to the WRFL Division One grand final with an eight-point win against the Woodsmen on the weekend.
The game was shifted from Avalon Airport Oval to the far less imposing Crofts Reserve in Altona North, but the two combatants made sure the grandeur of the occasion was not lost, putting on an enthralling display of finals footy.
In a tense last quarter, Spotswood clawed back a three-goal deficit to hit the front, but could not hold on.
An exhausted Albion side had enough in reserve to kick two final goals and secure a chance to defend its title.
Spotswood’s Jason Cloke, Torin Baker and Cameron Sharp all kicked three.
For Albion, Shaydon Bloomfield top-scored with four goals, while Marcus Smith and Romain Grenville kicked three each.
The Woodsmen made use of the wind in the first quarter, opening up a 22-point lead, but Albion produced a 36-point turn-around in the second quarter to hold the advantage going into the second half.
Spotswood coach Chris O’Keefe said his side’s poor third quarter was the difference.
“Our third quarter really cost us. We had the breeze and we weren’t able to capitalise, and all credit to Albion they played a bit better than us in that third quarter and stopped us from scoring and they did enough,” he said.
“I was really happy with the last quarter, we really finished the game off strongly and hit the front, but weren’t able to hold it.”
Albion will go into the grand final having not played a game on Avalon Airport Oval, while Spotswood and Altona will have played five between them after this weekend.
O’Keefe said his side was suited to the wide expanses of the Werribee oval.
“It’s no secret that we’re a running team. That’s the way that we try to play so hopefully we can get out here and show our best at Avalon.”
Albion coach Marcus Barclay limited the midfield rotations in the third quarter in an effort to hold sway in the centre.
It worked, but only just.
“Our third quarter was fantastic, we threw a couple of loose blokes down which was pretty much the scene the day. Spotswood did the same when we were downwind,” Barclay said.
Spotswood will play Altona at Avalon Airport Oval in the preliminary final on Saturday afternoon.
Spotswood defeated Altona by 96 points when the teams met in the qualifying final.
