DEER Park is the team to beat nearing mid-point of the Western Region Football League division 1 season.
The Lions (first, 8-0) have shaken up the top tier and broken up the monopoly that Altona and Spotswood had on the competition.
With player-coach Marc Bullen at the helm, the Lions recruited strongly in the off-season, some labelling it a ‘dream team’.
The Lions have lived up to the hype, reeling off eight consecutive wins to start the season, including victories over last year’s grand finalists.
Kwame McHarg has been outstanding since joining from Williamstown, while Cameron Trewin, Sam Hunt, Chris Stewart and Shaun Harrison regularly figure among the best.
The evenness of the Lions is what makes them so dangerous.
Taking into account how sparingly big-name recruits Andrew Lovett and Heath Ayres have been used, the Lions’ roar is only going to louden between now and September.
Spotswood (second, 6-2) climbed into second ahead of the break without ever moving into first gear.
The Woodsmen will concede their performance against the big guns has been patchy. Back in round one, they lost by just three points to Altona but did so coming back from a 42-point quarter-time deficit. Against Deer Park, they led at three-quarter-time, only to be blown away in the last term. Last start, against Sunshine Kangaroos, they overcame a goalless opening quarter to come back and win.
Inconsistency within performance is plaguing the Woodsmen and that has to be fixed if they want to reach a seventh grand final in a row. Michael Fogarty has been in rich form, while Jason Cloke and Dylan Callard have been dangerous in attack.
With an improved team structure from last season, Altona (6-2, third) has what it takes to make it back-to-back flags. The Vikings had one area of need, a high-marking centre-half-forward, and found the solution in Jayden Post, who has booted 31 goals and shown an aerial dominance.
You hear it all the time: it takes time for an AFL player to get used to the pace of local football, but Post has made a seamless transition.
Steven Kennedy, an exciting utility who can be found mopping up across half-back, swooping in the midfield or offering a target across half-forward, is having a stellar year and likely to figure highly in Priest Medal calculations if his form continues.
The Vikings’ losses have come against improved sides Deer Park and St Albans; that’s not a concern, just an indication of raised standards across the league.
Sunshine (6-2, fourth) have been the surprise packet of the opening two months. The Kangaroos merely made up the numbers in the finals last season, but you get a sense this team is ready to become a major player. But until the Roos claim a big scalp – they’re 0-2 against top-three sides – they’ll remain in the former category. On Saturday, against Altona, they can send a message to the top sides to start looking over their shoulder.
The Kangaroos are strong across all lines and have star power in the Wiggins brothers, Simon and Patrick, and Mitch Hahn. An injury-free run has enabled Patrick Wiggins to realise his potential; he leads division 1’s goalkicking with 32 goals, while Russell Douglas, Hayden Moloney and Scott Smith are having productive seasons.
Hoppers Crossing (5-3, fifth) have been up and down like a rollercoaster. The Warriors’ inconsistency is largely to do with an unsettled team, beset with injuries. If that bad luck is confined to the first eight rounds, there’s no reason why they can’t give the double chance a shake. Recruits Brodie Moles and James Mulligan are starting to produce their best football, and Mathew Ryan, Matthew Smith and Terry Knight have been strong all year. Kade Carey’s health is the concern right now, with the Warriors needing their focal point back on the ground to be a serious contender.
St Albans (4-4, sixth) has been a breath of fresh air. The Saints have thrown down the challenge to all the top sides, and even shocked Altona.
A five-point, round six loss to Sunshine is their only blemish in the past month. They’re the most credible threat to the sides occupying a top-five berth. Tim Jenkins, a dual Priest medallist, is having another brilliant year for the Saints, as are Lachlan Baddeley, Marc Dawson and Damien Fitzpatrick.
Port Melbourne Colts (3-5, seventh) are a finals chance in the mathematician’s eyes only.
