Brent Morrow has stood tall all season at centre-half back for Werribee Districts. Photo: Wayne Hawkins
Intrigue has followed Werribee Districts every step of the way in its first season back in Western Region Football League division 1.
Districts crossed over from the Victorian Amateur Football Association in the summer.
Having worked so hard to earn the respect of the amateur football community and reaching the lofty heights of the second tier of the metropolitan-wide competition, the Tigers had to prove themselves all over again on return to the local western suburbs competition.
For starters, they needed to validate the WRFL board’s decision to allow the club to bypass the second division and move straight to the top level.
The Tigers certainly ticked that box in the home-and-away rounds, becoming a permanent feature in the top five.
The Tigers not only finished in the final five, they also claimed third place and an all-important double chance.
Tigers midfielder Matt Dean says the team started the year with modest expectations.
“Coming from the Ammos, we didn’t know too much about the WRFL,” he said.
“I’d say we’ve exceeded everyone’s expectations, internally and externally.”
The intrigue will continue for Werribee Districts when it comes face to face with finals specialist Spotswood in the second semi-final at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday.
The Woodsmen need no finals introduction, having featured in each of the past seven division 1 grand finals.
The Tigers are not exactly novices when it comes to September football, either, having experienced many years of finals football in the VAFA.
But a number of their youngsters are going in cold.
“Spotswood pride themselves on this [finals football] – they’ve been doing it for many years now – but it will be the first senior final for a lot of our guys,” Dean said.
Picking a winner in this mouth-watering week-one final is tricky.
The ground at Watton Street is said to suit the Tigers’ run and spread, but who can match the Woodsmen’s record on that ground in big games?
The Tigers carved up wooden spoon side Yarraville-Seddon by 122 points in the final regular-season game on Saturday.
Andrew Panayi proved his fitness with six goals. A week earlier, the forward was stretchered off with concussion after a scary on-field incident and was taken to a local hospital by ambulance as a precaution.
“He’s a pretty valuable member of our team, creates a lot of opportunities and is good with his forward pressure as well,” Dean said. “He’s going to be a key come Saturday.”
Co-captain Brent Morrow, who always plays an important role for the Tigers at centre-half back, faces the enormous task of negating the Woodsmen’s former AFL player Jason Cloke, while Chris Molivas looms as the X-factor in the Tigers’ attack. He has booted 36 goals in the past seven games to be the competition’s in-form forward.
The first semi-final will be played between St Albans and Hoppers Crossing on Sunday.
In division 2, Parkside and Wyndhamvale will meet in the first semi-final on Saturday for the right to be the first side through to the grand final.
West Footscray and Glenorden will square off in a do-or-die battle on Sunday.
Both division 2 games will be played at Wootten Road Reserve in Tarneit.
In division 3, Albanvale and Braybrook will battle it out for a direct path to the grand final on Saturday. Sanctuary Lakes and Laverton Magpies will fight for survival on Sunday.
Both division 3 games will be played at Hogans Road Reserve in Hoppers Crossing.
