By Marcus Uhe
Erik Weisz became an iconic figure in the United States and across the world for his ability to escape from extrication and perform mind-blowing stunts in front captivated audiences.
Better known by his performance name ‘Harry Houdini’, he shot to fame in the late 1800s with his signature move of breaking free of shackles and locks, or escaping from jail cells, defying what was considered possible by mankind.
The Narre Warren Football Club have done it all in recent years, having barely lost since the creation of the Outer East Football Netball competition, and in the second half of 2024 have added the escape to its vast bag of tricks.
Having overcome staunch challenges and three-quarter-time deficits against the prime challenges for its throne at the top of the table, in Wandin and Woori Yallock in recent weeks, the Magpies may have outdone themselves with the latest act of trickery against Olinda Ferny Creek on Saturday afternoon.
A side missing its three of its four leading goal kickers since the beginning of 2023, two crucial defenders featuring two debutants stared defeat in the face on Saturday afternoon, down 16 points at the final break against a Bloods side undefeated on its home turf in 2024 and with one of the league’s leading talents in Matt Scharenberg plugging holes in the Magpies’ attacking half of the ground.
They’d trailed by as many as 25 points earlier in the contest, having played a first term that coach Steven Kidd described as “maybe our worst for the year”, and rejigged it’s modus operandi in the final quarter to find a solution.
The Magpies made a tweak in its ball movement, defender Declan Brown was given the assignment to nullify Scharenberg, and Hamish West found himself as the deepest forward in the final term and kicked a pair to help draw his side to within striking distance of the lead.
With 17 minutes played, his sixth of the afternoon edged the Magpies ahead by a beak, before Brayden Sharp’s sealer deep in time-on secured another brazen getaway, and locked-up the third-consecutive minor premiership in the process.
15.12 102 to 14.10 94 was the final score, the Magpies notching win number 16.
West has been a shining light for the Magpies a major reason why they have made it to 64 points, having filled voids as a result of injuries and departures over the off-season in the crucial half-forward role that has unlocked their ball movement, and exploited defences on the counter attack.
With 29 majors to show for his work, goals against Wandin kept the Magpies in the hunt against a wave of pressure and scoring onslaught, while his ability to find targets in the forward half came to the fore against Woori Yallock.
“He’s very quiet and just goes about his business but he’s so clever with the way he uses his body, the spots he gets to and his work rate,” Kidd said.
“He’s been awesome for us this year and last year he was great too.
“To get to where’s got to is a credit to him.
“He’s a quiet guy off the field who just goes about his work, he’s non-fussed and just plays his role for the team.”
The Magpies’ sixth-consecutive victory is part of an ideal tune up for another September assault, and a chance to make amends for a finals campaign in 2024 that did not go to plan.
Having been pushed by teams fighting for seeding advantages and crucial real estate in the top six’s lower rungs, the Magpies are sitting for assessments they’ve seldom faced in recent years on their way to back-to-back finals appearances.
As a result, the pressure has bared fruit, seeing players adapt to new roles and give Kidd some extra cards up his sleeve, should they be required in September.
“It gives us a little bit of confidence going forward that when we are challenged, we can maybe throw guys into different positions and know that they’re going to be capable of playing in different positions,” he said.
“That’s something that we’ve wanted to do and it’s been pleasing to see.
“Although we’ve been forced to make changes within the game, as far as players playing in different positions, we’ve been trying to do that over the last month anyway… trying to get them to understand that if things go wrong for them, we can get them to change it around, whereas winning so easily last year, we just left things the way we were.
“We’ve been doing recovery on Sunday mornings which is something we’ve added from last year, so hopefully that’s been making training better on Tuesday nights, so we have changed a few things for sure.”
Hayden Dwyer, Kurt Mutimer, Riley Siwes and Sam Johnson were instrumental in the turnaround for the Magpies, who welcome another finals aspirant in Mt Evelyn to Kalora Park this week.
Where the Magpies’ final ladder position was sealed at the top of the table, Officer ran out of lives in its heartbreaking loss to Upwey Tecoma.
The Kangaroos have made a habit of being their own worst enemies in 2024 and Saturday was no exception, kicking 7.15 to the Tigers’ 9.9 to fall six points short, despite four more shots at goal.
It was the second quarter that will cause sleepless nights for those at Starling Road, having kicked 2.9 where their opponents had the steadier hand, with 3.2, to make it a two-point game at the final break.
Inside 50 numbers and shots at goal eventually won out in a tense final quarter for the visitors, prevailing with a goal in time-on to lock themselves into fourth place on the table.
Officer, meanwhile, fell two games back from Mt Evelyn in sixth, meaning Saturday’s contest with Monbulk will simply be a chance to ruin the Hawks’ finals hopes.
Youngsters Brodie Snooks, Jackson Honey and Joshua Westra impressed for Officer, with key forward Riley Weirzbicki kicked two in his return to senior football.
Pakenham’s season looks set to end in a whimper, with relegation becoming a realistic possibility.
Trailing by 19 points at half time at Monbulk on Saturday, Pakenham kicked just two goals after half time and conceded 8.14 in a 67-point loss, 15.17 107 to 6.4 40.
Compounding matters were red cards to Stewart brothers, Zac and Jordan, in a fiery final quarter that saw Pakenham finish with an outnumber on the field in the dying stages.
Sam Cachia continues to impress at his new club with two goals, as Joel Sarlo, D’angelo Taito and Josh Trembath joined him in the Lions’ best.
Berwick Springs, meanwhile, offered one of its most promising performances of the season in a 36-point loss to Mt Evelyn.
Having trailed by 55 points midway through the second term, the Titans kicked the next seven and cut the lead to 10 points during time on in the third quarter.
Mt Evelyn regrouped at the final break, however, and restored a healthy buffer early in the final term to preserve its place in the top six.
Riley Hillman’s reinvention as a forward continues to bring rewards for the Titans, with the former defender kicking six goals to play a key role in the fight back.
Gembrook Cockatoo, meanwhile, conceded 13 goals after half time to Wandin to fall 67 points short of the reigning premiers.
