NORTH Footscray is likely to remain in the top-tier Western Region Football League division1 for a third straight season after consigning Sunshine Heights to relegation with a 73-point win at Ainsworth Reserve on Saturday.
The Devils notched just their second victory of the season but deserve their top-flight status for the competitiveness they have shown in most matches, an element sadly lacking from the undermanned Heights all winter.
Devils president Ashleigh Lewis said his side’s survival could be decided in the boardroom if a bold ‘two up, two down’ relegation-promotion system was adopted this season.
“We’ll be in division 1 next year as long as the WRFL doesn’t change the rules. They are trying to push for two-up, two-down relegation. I don’t think it will go ahead,” Lewis said.
“There’s not too many clubs interested in it.”
Lewis doesn’t mince his words in reflecting on a season in which
the Devils have remained stagnant when they had hoped for an improved year.
“We expected to win a couple more games,” he said. “When you’re always losing it starts
to take an effect on the players. You need
to be winning or blokes will start to walk.”
The Devils at least got a chance to sing the club song for the first time in nine weeks and were dominant after quarter-time.
The shining light with six goals was Rikki Newton, who has impressed so much he wants to do a pre-season with Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football League to stake his claim for higher-level football.
“He’s a young Aboriginal boy who’s lightning quick and his skills are unreal,” Lewis said.
“He’s definitely going to finish top two in our best and fairest.”
Kiya Smith has been used mainly on the wing this season, but player-coach Jason Clarke moved him into the forward line in the absence of Cameron D’Altera and he responded with four majors.
The hard-at-it Tedesco brothers – Matthew and John – were outstanding through the midfield, while youngster Abdul-Kareem El-Hassan was a solid contributor in defence.
The Devils have already started planning for next season.
Lewis is under no illusions how important the season will be for the longer-term health of the senior set-up.
“We’ve got 90per cent of the list already signed up,” he said.
