Tara Murray
Rupertswood was beaten by a red hot Deer Park in the Essendon District Football League division 1 qualifying final on Saturday.
The Sharks had won against the Lions twice during the regular season, including last week, but Saturday’s final was a different story.
While the two teams had finished equal on points, the difference on Saturday was massive.
The Lions quickly led by 20 points at quarter time and the margin was 29 points at the main break.
The margin blew out in the second half, with the Lions winning, 17.18 (120)-8.8 (56).
Sharks coach Arron Bray said they just weren’t able to play their game.
“It was a bit of a tough one,” he said. “They were better than we were.
“Nash Holmes and Luke Goater came back in and they were the difference. They didn’t allow us to play our game.
“We were okay the first 10 minutes, but we weren’t allowed to do what we wanted.”
Bray said the Lions class shone through in the game with the experience levels between the two sides a big difference.
“They had four, five or six VFL [Victorian Football League-listed] players playing against kids.”
The Sharks hopes weren’t helped by injuries before the game and then during it.
Luke Cannon was an out before the match, while skipper Brent Swallow again failed to come up.
Brock Landt and Dylan Podolczak both did hamstrings in the game and left the Sharks down on rotations in an already tough game.
Bray said 17-year-old Bailey Verrall was their best along with Ben Borg and Jordie Tentonello, but they had few winners on the day.
The win for the Lions now gives them a shot at West Coburg for a spot in the grand final.
The Sharks have a second chance having finished third and will face Hillside on Sunday in a knockout semi final.
Bray said they know it will be a tough challenge especially with their injuries. He said Cannon might return, but Swallow was unlikely to return having missed most of the season half of the season.
“We will have to pull a rabbit out of the hat,” Bray said.
