St Albans’ Daniel McFerran gets the kick away under pressure. 69229 Picture: KRISTIAN SCOTT
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
PORT Melbourne’s six-point defeat of St Albans has not made predicting the outcome of this Sunday’s elimination final between the same two sides any easier.
In fact, it has posed more questions, the most obvious being: Can a dead rubber between the two teams who will play each other in a knock-out final provide any insight into who might hold the advantage?
Before the game, St Albans coach Ian Denny said despite the seeming irrelevance of the game, his team was going to have a real dip in an effort to regain some momentum it has lost with some recent disappointing losses.
“We’re not traveling as well as we probably like at the moment so our idea is to try and get back traveling a little better than we have been, so we will definitely be having a crack and trying to be playing the best that we can,” he said.
Denny said his team’s form slide coincided with a raft of injuries sustained in the round 13 game against Spotswood, which ironically announced the Saints as contenders after their upset victory.
“All things being equal we should get a couple more back and hopefully we’ll go in the finals series looking OK,” Denny said.
Port Melbourne coach Peter Lunt said this weekend’s game would play more to the Saints’ strengths as Avalon Airport Oval was significantly larger than Murphy’s Oval.
“They’re a very good running side and they play a big ground very well,” Lunt said.
“You can shut them down on your ground but you’ve got to do it on your ground a week after.
“They’re best footy is capable of really causing some damage in the finals, but when both sides are not playing consistent four quarters of footy they can both get into strife, we’re similar in that way I think.”
In a match that remained tight from go to whoa, Port Melbourne prevailed on Saturday 17.17 (119) to 17.11 (113).
In another dead rubber, pride was the only thing on the line between Hoppers Crossing and Sunshine, and it was Sunshine that restored some of it with a 22-point win. It was the Kangaroos’ first win against a side in the top six this season.
The other games were lopsided as predicted. Albion defeated North Footscray 27.15 (177) to 8.6 (54), while Altona made sure of Glen Orden’s winless season with a 29.22 (196) to 3.5 (23) victory.
Spotswood thrashed Sunshine Heights 23.17 (155) to 1.3 (9).
MEANWHILE, Albanvale defeated Parkside 18.20 (128) to 11.8 (74) in the Division Two qualifying final and will take on Deer Park in the second semi-final on Saturday for a right to play in the grand final.
