Deer Park has added their first senior EDFL premiership cup to their trophy cabinet after a 21.14 (140) to 6.8 (44) thumping against West Coburg in the Rookie Me Division One Grand Final.
The Lions were coming into the game as the favourites after handing the Burgers their first loss of the season in convincing fashion in the Semi Final and were quick out of the gates.
Lachlan Smart bagged the first goal of the day after a nine-minute stalemate to begin the game.
A second 50-metre penalty sent Deer Park to the goal square as Luke Goater opened his account and kicked Deer Park’s second.
Todd Elton was collected high inside 50 and duly dobbed the set shot to round out their three first-quarter goals.
West Coburg were held scoreless in the first quarter and trailed Deer Park by 22 points heading into the second quarter.
Damian Galofaro got West Coburg on the board eight minutes into the second quarter as the Burgers kept the contest relatively even with just one point added to the margin at the main break.
Deer Park threatened to burst open the dam wall at times in the third quarter, but did so emphatically in the fourth quarter piling on 11 goals.
It was party time for the Lions as they neared the 100-point margin before eventually taking out the premiership by 96 points.
Nash Holmes was awarded the David McWilliam Medal for best on ground honours for a superb performance in Deer Park’s engine room, complemented by powerful midfielders Jack Dorgan and Wade Lees who shut down the dangerous Thomas Baravi.
Kier Bol was staunch in defence keeping Omar Saad goalless, while Bailey Morrish was pivotal in setting up a lot of the Lions’ drive from their back half.
Goater was available from VFL duties and continued his finals form with six goals, while Elton (four goals), Scott Greenhough (two goals), and Smart (two goals) each kicked multiples.
It was a complete team performance from Deer Park and the culmination of a season of hard work.
Coach Heath Scotland told Star Weekly they were confident they could get the job done on the biggest stage.
“We didn’t really settle with our best side for most of the year,” he said. “We knew every team rose to play us during the year. For us getting the runs on the board and getting a system, the confidence come that pointy end of the season that our game style matches and stands up.
“I’m just pleased for the boys that they executed what we were rehearsing all year and extremely disappointed for some of those guys who have got us here and we couldn’t fit in the side.”
While the celebrations will continue on for a few days, the club will quickly turn its attention to next season when it will be in Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division.
“Certainly the administration were keen to get us straight across to Premier,” Scotland said. “[We went into] Division One and we were happy, bide our time.
“We’ll get over the celebrations and try and maintain our playing list. Hopefully all those will go down a point or two and we can target and recruit.
“We have to build from grassroots. We can’t keep adding players in and be on the points threshold every year.”
