Werribee’s credentials are under the microscope in the run-in to the sub-district cricket finals – its first finals question mark in three seasons.
The Tigers successfully passed the first check point on Sunday with a win over arch-rival Altona at JK Grant Reserve, consolidating what looked like a shaky hold on a top-six berth.
With two rounds remaining, there are still no guarantees of a Tigers appearance in the March action, particularly with a two-day clash against fellow premiership contender Roxburgh Park-Broadmeadows at Chirnside Park in the penultimate round and a tricky trip to Coburg in the last home-and-away.
The past two summers might have been cruisy late in the season for the Tigers as they locked in first and second place finishes, but this campaign has been slightly uncomfortable, with a mixture of up-and-down form and the emergence of fresh rivals.
Tigers captain Shaun Dean is adamant his side should be mentioned in the same breath as the rest of the premiership contenders but understands it could be forced to travel a tougher route to accomplish its goal.
“It’s an odd year, this year,” Dean told Star Weekly.
“You usually say only the top four could win it and five and six are making up the numbers, but that’s not the case.
“There’s a lot of movement going on with the ladder, so we still have the chance, if results go our way, to jump to third but, by the same token, if Ivanhoe and Williamstown keep winning, we could be out, so you’ve got to keep winning otherwise you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
The Tigers might have deemed a bottom half of the six finish as a failure in recent seasons, but the premiership race has tightened up dramatically this time and it will be no mean feat to reach the finals.
Dean obviously wants to see the Tigers finish as high up on the ladder as they can and wants to play the first final at home, but he doesn’t see it as a necessity this time around.
He’s confident the Tigers can sustain a winning run from here. That means playing at maximum capacity for five straight matches in order to tick the finals appearance and premiership boxes on the ambitions list. “We’re solely focused on making it to the finals and, if we make it, I think we’re good enough to beat anyone in the top six.
“It’s not like there’s a team in there that you don’t want to cross paths with.
“This season, our theory is that if you’re in, you’re as good a chance as any.”
Werribee has a bit of wriggle room after moving up to fifth with its victory over the A’s. Set a tiny 127 for victory, the Tigers were speculative at first, but eventually passed the target, five down, with Tim O’Brien top-scoring an important 42.
The Tigers finished on 8-184, with Marcus Worrall (27) and Matt Dean (20) the other standouts on the scorecard.
“It was good to get the six points,” Shaun Dean said. “It was quite a tough little battle, but there was never that sitting on-the-edge-of-your-chair sort of stuff.
“We did it with five wickets down in the end, so comfortable enough.”
