Glen Orden had the luck of the Irish on Saturday.
The Hawks were dismal in a 57-point loss to North Footscray at Hansen Reserve in WRFL division 2.
But their game-and-percentage buffer over fifth-placed Albanvale remained intact after the finals-chasing Cobras were upset by Manor Lakes in a 20-point shock.
Hawks coach Stuart Daly was not exactly thrilled at having to rely on a result to go the Hawks’ way at another ground to keep hold of the advantage in the race for fourth spot – but he will take it.
“We never wanted to rely on someone else doing the work for us,” he told Star Weekly.
“Yeah, it was a welcome result. We were pretty disappointing. We’d been playing some really good footy leading up to that game.”
Glen Orden was in touching distance of North Footscray at half-time, trailing by 20 points.
But the Hawks’ third quarter would be their undoing as the Devils scored four goals to nil to take an unassailable 44-point lead into the last change.
“We were real fumbly and went away from the way we played the last three weeks,” Daly said. “All the structures and things we’ve been working really hard on, we did it for the first 10 or 12 minutes and then fell into some old habits.”
Despite the loss, Glen Orden’s odds of reaching the finals shortened dramatically.
The Hawks have three finals-like games to go – against Yarraville-Seddon, Caroline Springs and Albanvale.
And the Cobras have no margin for error as they have a bye in the final three rounds.
If the Hawks want to make waves in September, they really need to pick up a scalp in the remaining home-and-away rounds.
A win against Yarraville-Seddon at home on Saturday would seize that prized scalp and secure a finals berth.
“We’ve got the job ahead of us, but we might be able to get under their guard,” Daly said.
“If we can bring our style of footy, which is that hard, contested footy, we give ourselves a really big chance to beat them.”
Daly praised the Hawks’ younger brigade for their efforts against North Footscray. Mitchell Post, Sam Crea, Bailey James and Josh MacDonald were outstanding against the preseason flag favourites.
It was Post who got the biggest praise from Daly. Post had the unenviable task of reducing the impact of North Footscray’s Blake Pilkington and he shone in that role.
“He was unbelievable – he was our best player by a mile with the job he did,” Daly said.
It was Post’s best game in what has been an emotional year.
The youngster was involved in a single car accident last December that claimed the lives of two of his mates.
A third friend is still recovering from the crash.
“Mitch’s ability to roll up every week and continue to play football in spite of what he’s gone through is a credit to him and his parents and support network,” Daly said.
“I’m just in awe of the resolve of some of these guys for what they’ve been through … it makes you proud to be coach of the footy club.”
