Who wants a spot in a preliminary final? That’s the question Hoppers Crossing coach Steven Kretiuk will ask players at training this week.
And he would not rule out wholesale changes after the Warriors’ dismal 52-point loss to four-peat premiership hunters Deer Park in the WRFL division 1 second semi-final at Avalon Airport Oval on Saturday.
Kretiuk and the selection panel will watch like hawks at training this week, seeking a winning formula for this Saturday’s preliminary final against Altona Vikings back at the Watton Street venue.
“We were disappointed with the way we presented ourselves,” Kretiuk said about the weekend’s loss. “We dealt with it, we had a good talk after the game about what we need to get better, and as soon as we walked out of that meeting room, we moved on.
“We’ll pick a side this week from the guys who really put their hands up at training and commit themselves to taking this club to another level this week.
“I don’t care if we have to rotate in six or eight players, it doesn’t bother me.
“One thing we have got is a lot of faith in our list, a lot of faith in our young guys playing reserves footy.
“We’ll give those guys opportunities, the guys who want to put their hand up and really commit themselves to this finals series.
“I’m looking forward to training to see who puts their hand up.”
Hoppers Crossing only had nine scoring shots for the match, but was still in the contest midway through the third quarter because of Deer Park’s inefficient kicking.
While the door was left ajar for the Warriors, they would be victims of their own ineptitude.
“We just shot ourselves in the foot with our ball movement and execution,” Kretiuk said.
It’s easy to forget the different stages of development when comparing Hoppers Crossing’s young line-up to a Deer Park’s battle hardened side, which is on the verge of WRFL first premiership division 1 four-peat.
The Warriors and the Lions were neck and neck all season in the chase for the minor premiership, which gave the illusion they were near level pegging.
The cold hard numbers show a sobering reality; Hoppers Crossing is 0-3 against Deer Park this season, losing by an average of 56 points.
“They’re still the benchmark of the competition,” Kretiuk said. “The more exposure we get against sides like Deer Park, the better we’ll get.
“We’ve just got to keep playing these finals games and giving these guys finals exposure.
“Hopefully, we do that against Altona this week, but it’s going to be a tough ask.”
Altona is on a roll in the finals, disposing of Spotswood and Werribee Districts in consecutive weeks.
The Warriors have the wood over the Vikings, comfortably accounting for them on both occasions during home-and-away rounds.
In division 2, Caroline Springs moved through to the grand final, where it faces Yarraville-Seddon at Avalon Airport Oval on Sunday. The Lakers pulverised North Footscray in the preliminary final by 70 points with full forward Mathew Sutton booting eight goals.
In division 3, Tarneit took its last breath, eliminated by Parkside after a 26-point loss.
Parkside will face new kids on the block Newport Power in the grand final at Wootten Road Reserve on Saturday.
