WRFL 2018: Parkside secures Division 2 finals berth after claiming 2017 Division 3 flag

PARKSIDE is riding a wave of momentum as it prepares to tackle North Footscray in a cutthroat Western Region Football League Division 2 final.

PARKSIDE is riding a wave of momentum as it prepares to tackle North Footscray in a cutthroat Western Region Football League Division 2 final next Sunday.

Last year’s Division 3 premier has won six of its past eight matches to finish the regular season in fourth position with a 9-9 win-loss record.

The Magpies toppled Manor Lakes by 13 points in a virtual elimination final on Saturday to book their finals spot.

Co-coach Chris Muratore said making the top four was a “massive tick” for the club.

Parkside has secured a top-four berth in Division 2. Picture: Mark Dadswell

“For the finances we spend and the club’s run by probably about 10 people — it’s all those little things,” Muratore said.

“It’s really put our footy club, which has been around 121 years, back on the map.

“It was a bit of a free hit this year, obviously coming up and not knowing what to expect.

“From Round 1 to now, just how far we’ve come not only as a group but as a footy club is amazing.”

Just three years ago, Parkside was on the brink of recess because of a player exodus following its 2014 Division 2 premiership.

The Magpies have recovered from the mass walkout and will enter the match against North Footscray at Williamstown’s Burbank Oval full of belief.

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

The reigning premier has won all three clashes between the pair this season and prevailed by 30 points when they last met in Round 17.

“We probably put in our worst performance that we’ve put in for the last 12 weeks, so that’s got to rectified as a group and we said during the week that we want one more chance at them,” Muratore said of the August 18 fixture.

“We’ve got that now, so that’s up to us.

“We’ve got a lot of senior heads who have been there in those big occasions.

“We’ve just got to hope next week that we bring our brand and we’re definitely a show.”

Jordan Garita is set to return against the Devils, while Luke Buttigieg and Jesse Fortune were back in the line up for the 13.13 (91) to 11.12 (78) win over Manor Lakes.

Parkside did not resemble a finals contender when it slipped to 2-5 after seven rounds, but its form has been on an upward trajectory since.

“Obviously at the start of the year we had a lot of injuries and we’ve used 42 players, so we’ve tried nearly everyone we have,” Muratore said.

“The feeling is positive. Probably no one thought we were going to go this far this year.”