By Tyler Lewis
Narre Warren will go into its qualifying final in a week’s time with the most intriguing of foundations.
Since suffering its one and only defeat of the season in round 15, the Magpies won the following three games by 162 points, 121 points and 167 points.
The three game stretch over Olinda Ferny Creek, Upwey Tecoma and Officer has grossed a score line that reads: 84.42 (547) to 13.19 (97).
Saturday’s 27.15 (177) to 1.4 (10) win over Officer was the Pies’ smallest score in three weeks.
After a 450-point demolition over 12 quarters since tasting defeat at the hands of Woori Yallock, Narre Warren will now have the week off before facing one of the Tigers or Wandin for a spot in the grand final.
Although Maggies coach Shane Dwyer is aware of the final month ahead of his group’s finals campaign, he isn’t dwelling on things beyond his control.
“It’s not ideal, but if you look at the other sides, they had pretty easy wins on the weekend as well,” he said.
“We will train pretty hard on Saturday morning and be pretty competitive, it’s never ideal, but if you have a few niggles here or there, you will look for that week off to give a few guys a rest.
“We’re well aware that we’ve had a few easy results and the first final is going to be a lot harder than what we have been experiencing, but there’s not a great deal we can do about it.
“We just have to train hard like we have done all year; we’ve been doing a bit of an extra running session for the last five weeks just to keep us on top of the ground, so we will probably continue that this week and back off to be ready to go.”
The Pies have cantered to pole position on the Outer East Premier Division ladder as an outcome of 15 wins and a scintillating percentage of 315.39.
And while many expected Dwyer’s men to be in this position, he was sure to praise them post game, before briefly informing them that it’s back to square one next week.
“It was mentioned at the end, but it was a fair bit of congratulating them on a good home and away season as well,” he revealed.
“I mean, they have really only played half a year’s worth of footy in three years, so it was well done on what they’ve achieved in the home and away series.
“But then yeah, it was let’s straight over and the real stuff starts now, we recovered Sunday and have a solid week this week.
“Then we will prepare for whoever we have to play next week… they’re well aware that the serious stuff starts now, we don’t have to push it that hard.”
Of the 84 goals Narre Warren has kicked in the last three outings, Jake Richardson fired off 22 of them, ultimately securing the league goal-kicking award with 71 majors.
No Narre Warren player has kicked as many as Richardson did this season, since Kerem Baskaya in 2015, who kicked 75 goals at the end of the home and away season, before finishing with 92 after finals.
Dwyer revealed the energy among the group was special when the news came through that Richardson had pipped Wandin’s Clinton Johnson – who he was equal with on 64 goals coming into the final round – at the post.
“I was rapt for him, when we found out after the game it was a really positive response,” he said.
“He deserves it, he works his backside off week in, week out, he practices his goal kicking before and after training every week.
“He’s just had a really good year, the same goes for Will Howe (62 goals), they’ve both had really good years as key forwards – I am hoping that will continue on for the next few weeks.
“I don’t think we have had anyone kick that many goals for a fair while, probably since (Kerem) Baskaya in 2014 or 15-ish, I was rapt for him to get that reward for effort.”
The Pies will play the winner of Wandin and Woori Yallock this week and despite losing to the Tigers earlier in the season, Dwyer has no preference in who he would like to see in the first final.
“You play who you end up playing, I wouldn’t say there is a preference,” he admitted.
The game was originally set to be played at Narre Warren, but with the Wandin reserves playing at Emerald, the league has shifted the match to keep the crowds at one venue.
In other results across the competition: Monbulk defeated Pakenham 12.12 (84) to 5.6 (36), Woori Yallock decimated Mt Evelyn 31.24 (210) to 1.5 (11) and Wandin torpedoed Olinda Ferny Creek 16.26 (122) to 9.11 (65).
