WYNDHAMVALE brought the curtain down on Albanvale’s incredible 18-year finals streak in the Western Region Football League division 2.
The Cobras had to beat Wyndhamvale at Robert Bruce Oval on Saturday and do so with an astronomical percentage to sneak into the top five.
It proved the impossible dream and they failed even to nudge the mathematical equation, starting slowly en route to a gallant 26-point loss.
“It’s disappointing,” Cobras coach Robert Scardamaglia said.
“We kicked the first three goals of the last quarter, got to within 18 points and had a bit of a taste for it.
“We just couldn’t get a run-on at the end.”
Not since 1994 have the Cobras missed out on the finals action and when the final siren sounded at 5pm on Saturday, an unfamiliar feeling came over the proud club.
“A lot of them are just gutted,” Scardamaglia said of his players’ reaction to the sixth-placed finish. “They’re bitterly disappointed. They haven’t experienced this before.”
For the Falcons, it was the perfect lead-in to what is going to be a big finals series for the club.
The Luke Dennerley-coached side is a credible premiership contender and has everything in its favour – good form, the priceless double chance and the experience of going deep into the finals last season.
The Falcons, who got strong performances from Jayden Wood, Aaron Molivas and Nathan Evans in the victory over the Cobras, will kick off their finals campaign against Parkside in the qualifying final on Sunday.
Glenorden was the beneficiary of Albanvale’s demise. The Hawks lost a bruising final round encounter to Parkside by 21 points but retained their spot in the top five, thanks to their Wyndham rivals.
The Nick Diker-coached Hawks will meet Coburg Districts in the elimination final on Saturday.
WRFL scoreboard: Division 2
Around the grounds: Albanvale 9.11 (65) lt Wyndhamvale 12.19 (91), Braybrook 36.30 (246) d North Sunshine 1.3 (9), Caroline Springs 13.16 (94) d Laverton Magpies 7.7 (49), Parkside 15.14 (104) d Glenorden 12.11 (83), Yarraville-Seddon 32.18 (210) d West Footscray 6.4 (40).
Ladder: Yarraville-Seddon (437.30) 64, Parkside (197.61) 56, Wyndhamvale (207.26) 48, Coburg Districts (191.30) 40, Glenorden (153.14) 34, Albanvale (151.61) 34, West Footscray (110.92) 28, Caroline Springs (82.31) 24, Braybrook (55.89) 16, Laverton Magpies (41.13) 8, North Sunshine (5.15) 0.
Finals: Qualifying final (Saturday): Parkside v Wyndhamvale (Avalon Airport Oval). Elimination final (Sunday): Coburg Districts v Glenorden (Avalon Airport Oval).
