Dandenong West is through to its first senior grand final in 33 years after knocking off Lyndale in the Southern Football Netball League Division 3 preliminary final.
The Westerners extended their lead every quarter, holding a one-point advantage at quarter time before jumping out to a seven-point buffer at the main break.
After the intermission, a three-to-two goal third term in favour of Dandenong West brought the margin out to 15 points at the final change.
From there, Mick Lawrence’s men saw out a drought-breaking 10.9(69) to 7.4(46) victory.
“For them to put pressure on us and for us to control it and have good ball movement, that was a really good test,” Westerners senior coach Lawrence said.
“Every time they came at it, we went better and it was really good.
“The pressure definitely impressed me.
“The other week against Hallam we stood back and watched them but this week we had to go and get it.
“We kept talking about mental pressure and making sure we’re switched on for the whole 120 minutes.
“Mentally after losing (last week) I thought they came out very, very switched on.
“They way they hit the ball and didn’t wait was really good.
“When we’re doing what we do, we’ve got a good brand.
“We took Lyndale on and went for it.”
The young core led the way for Dandenong West, with former Dandenong Stingray Coren Giliam booting four goals and Harry Lees bagging three.
Both are new to the club this season but have had an almighty impact.
“We were happy, we were up and about because we’re all mates,” Lawrence said of his young side.
“They enjoyed the moment, they enjoyed the energy, they enjoyed the crowd.”
The club officially rebranded back to Dandenong West in late 2023.
The Westerners then fell just short of finals in 2024 and are now reaping the benefits of a positive environment.
Lawrence noted the culture as the area that has got the club to this position.
“I think Dandy West lost its identity for a few years,” he said.
“Getting back to the old school morals and reestablishing our identity was important.
“A lot of the guys I haven’t seen for a very long time are back.
“It’s about coming back to where we were, the soul of what we were.
“I’ve built a strategy around a mateship culture.
“That’s what Dandy West is about, the mates.
“This is about bringing it back to the old school culture, the grassroots.”
Now the club is back in the big dance for the first time in over three decades, where it will face the formidable and undefeated Hallam.
But regardless of the result, the achievement of reaching the final day of the season has the club reflecting extremely proudly.
“It’s history, they can’t take it away,” Lawrence said of reaching the grand final.
“We want to own that culture and build it up.”
On a sombre note for Lyndale, senior playing coach Brendon Groenendyk pulled on the Pumas guernsey for the last time.
The club announced he will be departing the club after leading Lyndale to back-to-back preliminary finals.
Dandenong West and Hallam will clash in the Division 4 grand final at Hampton Park on Saturday.
SOUTHERN 3
Berwick Springs’ finals campaign came to a crashing end as the Titans were eliminated in straight sets with a 13.11(89) to 11.10(76) defeat at the hands of Hampton.
Berwick Springs led at quarter time but the Hammers controlled most of the contest from then on, getting out to a 27-point lead in the fourth.
The Titans rallied to get within seven but it wasn’t enough as Hampton advanced.
In the other semi, St Kilda City was far too good for Carrum Patterson Lakes as the Saints punched their ticket to the grand final with a 13.14(92) to 6.7(43) triumph.
Carrum Patterson Lakes and Hampton will meet in Saturday’s prelim.
SOUTHERN 3
FW2 Results: St Kilda City 13.14(92) def Carrum Patterson Lakes 6.7(43), Berwick Springs 11.10(76) def by Hampton 13.11(89).
Saturday – Preliminary Final at Ben Kavanagh Reserve: Carrum Patterson Lakes (2) v Hampton (5), St Kilda City (1) Week’s rest.
SOUTHERN 4
PF Results: Dandenong West 10.9(69) def Lyndale 7.4(46).
Saturday – Grand Final at Robert Booth Reserve: Hallam (1) v Dandenong West (2).
