THE next time defending champions Altona Vikings and ladder-leader Deer Park go to war, it is likely to be in a big Western Region Football League division 1 final with a lot more riding on the outcome than four premiership points.
The sides met for the second and last time in the home and away rounds on Saturday, with the Lions overcoming the Vikings by 28 points in a hard scrap at Grant Reserve.
PICTURE GALLERY: Altona Vikings v Deer Park
The win helps the Lions keep a firm grip on top spot and moves them closer to No. 1 ranking for the finals.
The Vikings’ prospects of a double chance took a minor hit as they slipped back to third after the loss.
It’s not the end of the world for the Vikings.
Twice they have come up short to the Lions (12-1), but they are taking notes and learning what makes the Lions tick.
“Every game you play, it doesn’t matter if you play the top team or the worst team, you always take something out of it,” Vikings captain Josh Russo said.
“I’m sure both teams will look at it as a good tussle – one got four points and one lost, but we’ve still got five weeks to sort it out before finals start.”
There was little to separate the two sides up to half-time of a bruising encounter.
Once the Lions claimed control of the game in the third quarter, they were hard to stop.
They took a two-goal lead into three-quarter time before applying the clamps to keep the Vikings goalless in the last.
In their two encounters, the Vikings have found it difficult to halt the Lions when they get a run-on, and that’s something coach Anthony Eames is likely to address.
He is adamant, for the first time in years, that the top-flight premiership race is wide open for the six clubs still in the running.
“In my opinion, the premiership is still up for grabs,” Russo said. “There’s no reason why anyone couldn’t win it.
“We’re nowhere near our best and we want to get to somewhere near it towards the business end.”
The Vikings will get a clearer indication of their form heading into the finals with a tough run-in.
They will visit Port Melbourne Colts on Saturday in what is no easy game despite the Colts’ struggles.
“They haven’t been tracking the best, but Port Colts is Port Colts and they always have a dip,” Russo said.
“We’ve got some big games – we’ve got Hoppers, we’ve got St Albans, Sunshine again – we’re really looking forward to the next few weeks. Playing competitive, finals-like football … prepares you the best for the finals.”
