WRFL 2018: Parkside advances to the Division 2 preliminary final after beating North Footscray

Twelve months ago, Parkside claimed the WRFL Division 3 flag. Now the Magpies are just one win away from a Division 2 grand final berth.

PARKSIDE is eyeing a spot in the Western Region Football League Division 2 decider after toppling rival North Footscray in Sunday’s elimination final.

Just three points separated the sides at three-quarter-time before the Magpies kicked three goals to one in the final term to score a 13-point win, 10.8 (68) to 7.13 (55).

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Just a year after claiming the Division 3 flag, Parkside is one win away from a grand final berth in the second tier.

The Magpies will meet Point Cook in Saturday’s preliminary final at Whitten Oval, with the winner to face Yarraville-Seddon in the season finale.

The Eagles earned a week off after a 28-point victory over the Bulldogs at the weekend.

Parkside claimed a 33-point win when it met Point Cook in Round 13, a result co-coach Chris Muratore said “kicked our season into gear”.

“We’re there now and probably no one thought we would be, so there’s no reason why we can’t keep going,” Muratore said.

“You can definitely take a lot out of last time we played them and we had a look at them (on Saturday).

“They’re a very good side and have some quality ball-users.

“They’ve made a huge impact on the competition first-up, so credit to them.”

Parkside celebrates last year’s Division 3 premiership triumph. Picture: Local Legends Photography

The experience of Luke Buttigieg, Max Rampling and Darcy McMahon came to the fore for the Magpies as they ended North Footscray’s hopes of back-to-back flags.

The Devils rallied in the third quarter to close the gap before Parkside finished full of running.

“I said to the boys that we knew they were going to come and this was the challenge where our footy club wants to be and play in these games,” Muratore said.

“It felt like there was about 500 supporters around us (at the three-quarter-time huddle) and the twos boys had a good win too.

“We lost a brother last week in Stephen Campbell, who has played all year and is our vice-captain and did his shoulder. We played for him and it just draws that extra bit of emotion.”

North Footscray beat the Magpies three times during the regular season by a combined margin of 174 points, but the underdogs lifted when it mattered most.

“North Footscray had given us three big beltings, so we went in with nothing to lose,” Muratore said.

“It felt like they knew they probably had the wood over us, whereas we had nothing to lose, and that got us over the line I reckon.”