The Vikings held their nerve to become WRFL Division One premiers on Saturday. 87154_24 Picture: MATHEW LYNN
By ADEM SARICAOGLU
THE ecstasy and historical significance of Altona’s one-point WRFL Division One grand final win over Spotswood reflected the class and brilliance of the game they produced.
Saturday’s spectacle had all the ingredients of a classic grand final.
It had classy midfielders using their dash and flare to set the game alight, it had the physicality reminiscent of eras past and it had monster full-forwards clunking any ball that came their way inside both forward 50s.
It simply had it all.
The storyline of Altona entering its first Division One grand final as opposed to Spotswood’s sixth successive decider during the lead-up had already ensured something special was about to happen.
However, no one at Avalon Airport Oval would have walked into the ground expecting to witness what they were about to see.
The brash, exuberant and daring Vikings had led the decider for most of the day but could never shake off a Spotswood outfit that has become accustomed to the biggest stage.
With Altona sharing a hot footy among themselves to split Spotswood’s lines of defence, the Woodsmen, led superbly by playing coach Chris O’Keefe, continually managed to keep in control of the situation and counter the Vikings the other way.
However for all its dominance, the Woodsmen couldn’t convert their momentum into significant scoreboard pressure, constantly wasting big scoring opportunities that if converted, threatened to blow the game apart.
The Vikings led at halftime and three-quarter time, but on both occasions had significantly less scoring shots than the Woodsmen.
Altona went into the final change one goal up, and it was from there the two WRFL powerhouses produced a final quarter worth savouring.
Riding a surge that began late in the third quarter, Spotswood ended up kicking five straight goals before Jordan Robbins steadied the ship for Altona 11 minutes in.
The ball was zipping from end to end with Spotswood’s Jason Cloke (five goals) and Altona’s Liam Gardiner (two) providing an amazing spectacle of contested marking.
Early into time-on eventual best on ground winner Reece Miles stormed out of a centre bounce to feed Brett Shiels a vital goal that put the Vikings up by seven, but the Woodsmen still weren’t done fighting.
In the shadows of the final siren Mahmoud El-Hawli slotted a goal to ensure the ultimate grandstand finish, but as Cloke was about to send the ball deep into attack the bell rang to signal Altona’s first Division One triumph.
After the game a dejected O’Keefe admitted his side was probably the better team on the day.
“We controlled, I thought, probably more of the game than what Altona did. Altona took their chances,” O’Keefe said.
“We had 30 scoring shots to 21.
“That’s how you lose a premiership, right there.”
Altona coach Anthony Eames said the win will provide vindication for everyone at the club.
“We sacrificed from November all the way through to now and it really gives a lot of people a lot of joy around the club,” Eames said.
“They’ve been through some pretty tough times at this footy club so it’s acknowledgment really of all their hard work over the years.”
