THE biggest games are often defined by a moment’s brilliance.
In the case of Spotswood’s ground-’em-down 27-point win over Altona Vikings in the Western Region Football League division 1 blockbuster at McLean Reserve on Saturday, it was two vital moments from one lionhearted player.
Woodsmen player-coach Chris O’Keefe rose above all to provide the plays that changed the momentum of the game when all others were out on their feet. O’Keefe sparked the shift in the third quarter, latching on to a Ben Perry tap out and running untouched to goal from 50 metres to the freeway end.
A quarter later, he provided the lasting image of the fifth round, when he gathered the ball on the defensive side of centre, made a snaky run to evade tiring Vikings players, took five running bounces and carefully caressed the ball between the big sticks in the face of a cross-breeze at The Avenue end.
It was significant because O’Keefe had backed up his own words from the three-quarter-time huddle when he implored his players to take the game on, be prepared to attack and not be content to defend a slender lead.
O’Keefe said it was a goal borne out of the sheer hard work of his teammates, but let’s just say he is too modest and leave it at that.
“I was just really happy that I kicked it,” he said.
“It was pretty tricky, it didn’t look like it was going to go through. It swung quite late and managed to sneak in, which was great.
“It was a really good play from a team point of view. There was three or four blokes running beside me working hard and all the forwards were trying to create space for me to run into, so it was a good team goal.”
O’Keefe was phenomenal for the Woodsmen.
There is nothing better than a big-game player rising to the occasion when it counts.
Three goals, a bucket-load of clearances and an ability to settle the troops with concise and honest assessments at the huddles, made for a five-star game.
And, this was no routine victory for the Woodsmen – they had to fight tooth and nail in a scrappy game to eventually break off the leash with a five-goals-to-one last quarter, having led by just two points at three-quarter-time.
Those who predicted a Woodsmen-Vikings grand final this season might be sitting a bit smug after the first instalment of their heavyweight battle.
They produced one of the more ferocious games, despite the wind-swept conditions taking away the usually slick ball movement of both sides.
O’Keefe described it as a “full on” battle.
He has forecast the sides to lock horns deep into the finals and potentially over a longer period of time.
“I think there’s going to be some really great contests later on in the year and for years to come,” O’Keefe said.
“We always knew it was going to be a very competitive game and it certainly was that.
“It was good in that last quarter to put our head down and get on top and kick away.”
The Woodsmen came out of the gates with purpose to take a 14-point lead into quarter-time.
The next two quarters belonged to the visiting Vikings, who edged in front in the second term and maintained a 10-point half-time lead in a low-scoring game.
To this point, the defensive duo of Joey Halloran and Jonathan Hevern were pillars of strength for the Vikings – Halloran for his close checking on Woodsmen star Jason Cloke, Havern for his precision passing off half-back.
Defender-turn-forward Nathan Leslie was the wildcard, booting three goals, while ruckman Riak Riak had an enthralling battle with Perry.
Time and again, the Vikings shot themselves in the foot with wayward kicking for goal either side of the half-time break.
The Woodsmen made them pay in the second half, as one would expect from the defending champions.
Once they wrenched back the lead, they were merciless.
In the absence of No.1 ruckman
Lachie McGhie, who was out with a shoulder injury, Perry stood tall for the Woodsmen to give first use in the centre square and have an impact around the ground.
Captain Tom Langlands pointed the way with a typical hard-nosed game, Sam Wood was a stand-out in defence and Chase Morgan applied lots of pressure.
The Woodsmen keep top spot as the lone remaining unbeaten team, but it is safe to say they have a viable challenger in the form of the Vikings.
“They’re obviously well drilled, well structured and well coached,” O’Keefe said.
“I don’t think their game plan changed much over the years but what has changed is the personnel they’ve got in there and with the better players they’ve recruited, they’re obviously going to execute their game plans better and that makes them a very dangerous team.”
