WERRIBEE’S dosey-doe with the Bowls Victoria premier division is over.
The Bees were relegated with a loss to arch rivals Altona on the road in the penultimate round on Saturday.
The best finish they can hope for is second-last and they will get a chance to avoid the wooden spoon when they face the other relegation-bound side Lalor in the final round at Chirnside Park on Saturday.
Bees skip Snowy Barker was downcast when he spoke to the Weekly.
“It’s all over,” he confirmed.
“We’re probably a bit deflated now. It’s the realisation.”
The Bees were always going to be in for a tough year.
They underwent major off-season changes, but the list of quality departures were never offset by arrivals.
The club, which does not have the budget of the powerhouse sides at the top of the ladder, has long punched above its weight.
It was at one stage sitting pretty at 3-3 and most felt it was on track for survival.
But the Bees have won just two games since, and the form of bottom two sides Lalor and Mentone has improved dramatically to leave the Bees on the bottom of the ladder.
Barker says the ladder does not lie. “Mentone have e come good and won their last three,” he said.
“They’re on fire and will avoid relegation.
“We’ve only won five and it’d be about right where we’re going to finish.”
Already, talk has shifted to the Bees place in division 1, and how the current line-up would stack up.
Barker admits it will be no easy task securing promotion back to the top flight.
“It’s not a walk up start down there,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say we have the side to win division 1 and come straight back up.
“We’d have to recruit or restructure, or do something, that’s for sure.”
BOWLS VICTORIA
Premier division: Altona 16-79 d Werribee 2-64.
Division 2: Hoppers 14-87 Sunshine City 4-68.
