By LIAM TWOMEY
CAN anyone stop Deer Park’s march towards the Western Region Football League premiership?
The Lions have been flawless throughout the first half of the division one season and sit two games clear on top of the ladder with a perfect 8-0 record.
In the first two months of the season, they have defeated last year’s premier Altona and also accounted for runner-up Spotswood, both in convincing fashion.
However, in scary news for the rest of the competition, Deer Park coach Marc Bullen expects his team to only get better after the break.
In what is already a team littered with stars, the Lions anticipate welcoming back Andrew Lovett, Shylo Smith, Heath Ayres and Bullen himself.
“The goal was always to finish so we can get a double chance,” Bullen said.
“We are in that position at the moment but things can always change with injuries and form and stuff like that.
“We are just taking it week by week and our next big challenge is to beat Hoppers Crossing at home in a couple of weeks time.
“After that Hoppers game I think we might get three or four blokes back into our side and hopefully we can stay injury free and keep the core side fresh and rotate some blokes later in the year and get them ready for finals.”
The challengers to the Lions remain Altona and Spotswood. Both hold 6-2 records and sit in second and third places on the ladder respectively.
One spot behind them is Sunshine which has surprised some in the competition with its impressive start to the season.
The Kangaroos have also lost just two games and provided Deer Park with one of its sternest tests in round three before going down by 38 points.
ARE Glen Orden set to join the elite ranks of the WRFL next season?
After making headlines throughout the off-season for a number of high profile recruiting coups, the Hawks haven’t missed a beat in Division 2 and sit two games clear on top of the table with a 9-0 record.
The powerful line-up has scored 1497 points for the year (283 ahead of its nearest rival) and conceded just 407 (45 less than any other division two side).
Glen Orden coach Nick Diker said the increased depth had helped his side take the next step.
“Last year I believe our season finished early because we just had too many injuries and not enough depth,” he said.
“This year … I reckon I could comfortably pick a senior team every week from 32 guys that I would be more than comfortable to go out and coach.
“I think myself and the coaching panel have coached a bit smarter this year. Guys that aren’t 100 per cent, we have been leaving the odd one out and making sure we are getting them 100 per cent before they play again whereas last year we couldn’t do that.
“To be 9-0 at the half-way mark with a two-week break ahead of us, I couldn’t be happier to be honest. It has been above my expectations.”
Glen Orden is expected to introduce Kent Kingsley and Adem Yze into its line-up for their second games of the season in the coming weeks.
The chasing pack in Division 2 includes last year’s finalists Parkside and Wyndhamvale as well as new kids on the block Manor Lakes which joined the competition this year.
The Storm has lost just two games for the season and occupies fourth place.
One spot back is Sunshine Heights which has rebounded well after being relegated from Division 1 last year.
