Parkside beat West Footscray in the Western Region Football League’s division 2 grand final at Avalon Airport Oval on Sunday. How did they do it? Lance Jenkinson explains …
First quarter
West Footscray burst from the blocks to have the better of the opening five minutes but made very little impression on the scoreboard.
And once Parkside settled into their groove, getting first hand on the ball at the bounces through ruckman Alex Lochart, there would be no stopping the favourites.
They piled on five consecutive goals, two through Michael Licciardo, including the first of the game, and one each to captain Chris Muratore, forward Mo Khartabil and half forward Dyson Stevens.
Licciardo was a standout in the first term, not only winning his share of ball in the middle, but following up to provide an extra target in attack.
Stevens’ impact was marked across half forward, with the Roosters’ defenders barely able to lay a hand on him, while Matthew Pearce was like a quarterback with his silky skills finding players in better positions, including assisting on the first two goals.
West Footscray’s game broke down when it started to play the man and not the ball.
Jamie Lane got the Roosters’ lone score in the first term, a behind after taking a beautiful mark 20m out, opting to play on and slamming the ball into the post.
Quarter-time: Parkside 5.5 (35) West Footscray 0.1 (1).
Second quarter
Parkside booted the first two goals of the second term through Brent Kelly and Nick Grigg and it might have been a case of ‘here we go again’.
The lead had blown out to a massive 47 points before West Footscray flicked the switch to go, starting to earn their share of clearances, getting more numbers around the ball and just showing a whole lot more intent after an insipid first term.
Jadyn Trowsdale was the spark plug in the Roosters’ midfield, while Tobi Bray, Kane Liossis and Mark Speakman began to impose their will on the contest.
Munir El Houli had a purple patch for the Roosters to provide a much-needed target.
He got on the highlights reel with a strong pack mark but, more importantly, his snap made it two goals in a row for the Roosters after Adem Yze had broken the West Footscray drought at the 12-minute mark of the quarter.
Goals through Damien Yze and Mick Lindsay, and the prospect of Parkside having two less rotations due to a growing injury toll, and all of a sudden the Roosters were back in the game at half-time.
Half-time: Parkside 7.9 (51) West Footscray 4.3 (27).
Third quarter
It took West Footscray just 20 seconds to signal their intent in the third quarter, Trowsdale charging out of the centre square and Lindsay snaring a crumbing goal to trim the margin to three goals.
The Roosters had all of the momentum until Kelly snapped a run of five goals, which was brought about by West Footscray’s inability to keep the ball inside their own attacking 50.
That was the turning point in the game as it started a three-goal march for the Magpies.
Pearce’s run and carry and impeccable ball use was coming to the fore, while Guy Barbuto was a ball magnet across half back, constantly repelling.
Lane pegged one back for the Roosters, but goals to Ethan Langwell and Khartabil had blown the margin out to 48 points by three- quarter time, and it seemed more a case of how far Parkside could stretch their lead.
Three-quarter time: Parkside 12.16 (88) West Footscray 6.4 (40).
Fourth quarter
In the WRFL, we have been spoiled with some thrilling climaxes to grand finals, but this was not one of them. The despondent Roosters’ fans were warming up the car engines from the moment Licciardo goaled for Parkside from a set shot at the three minute-mark to get the margin out to more than 50.
Adrian Gervasi continued to rack up the touches en route to the Rex Swann Medal as Jordan Garita rifled through the Magpies last goal at the 12-minute mark to make the lead an even 10 goals.
To West Footscray’s credit, they fought it out until the bitter end with the final four goals but by then the horse had bolted.
Final score: Parkside 14.20 (104) West Footscray 10.6 (66).
