The Werribee Tigers missed the double chance in the late rounds of the season, and now face an Elimination Final against Essendon this weekend.
When Essendon departed from Avalon Airport Oval after its Round 12 match against Werribee the scenario of playing finals seemed remote at best.
Werribee’s 29-point win relegated Essendon to 12th on the ladder with a modest 3-6 record and an unenviable task of hauling themselves up the ladder into final’s contention.
Guess what? The VFL Bombers scaled those heights with a stunning end to the season where they won six of their last seven games to lift them into an Elimination Final against Werribee.
Each week was a virtual knock-out final, but Essendon responded in brilliant fashion.
While Box Hill Hawks brought them crashing back to earth with a 12-goal defeat in Round 17, Essendon still claimed the scalps of Casey, Northern Blues and North Ballarat.
And, Essendon didn’t fall over the line. Its smallest winning margin during that period was 11-points against Casey Scorpions and that was at Casey Fields.
Essendon has been well served by a number of prominent AFL plyaers rotating through its VFL team. Last week former Bomber captain David Hille, Tom Bellchambers, Leroy Jetta, Nathan Lovett Murray and Cory Dell’Olio all played in the VFL.
But, it’s not only its AFL players who have helped drive Essendon to the finals, but its VFL contingent led by Ben Duscher, Matthew Firman, Matthew Bate and Zac O’Brien.
Werribee returns to the finals for the second successive season under Scott West, but this year the VFL Tigers don’t have the luxury of a double chance.
At times during the season Werribee has looked as good as any club – outside Geelong – in the competition.
They were awesome in trouncing Port Melbourne by 65-points in Round 17, just as impressive against Northern Blues the following week, but last week they got smashed in one quarter against Collingwood and ended up trying to reel in too big a lead.
Lapses will be punished just as severely in the finals.
Werribee will be without the services of Majak Daw but do have emerging bigman Daniel Currie in their battle against Essendon’s experienced ruckmen, which will play a pivotal part in determining the outcome.
The VFL Tigers have a multi-pronged attack with three Bens – Brown, McKinley and Warren – all capable of turning a match.
Werribee will rely heavily on Jarred Moore, Robbie Castello and Jordan Gysberts to win plenty of the ball and provide enough supply for Messrs Brown, McKinley and Warren to kick a winning score.
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 1
1st Elimination Final – North Port Oval, 2:10pm
Werribee Tigers vs Essendon
Photo: Arj Giese
Last Modified on 30/08/2013 13:44