Roxburgh Park and East Keilor “ready to rock” for big semi-final in EDFL

ROXBURGH Park coach Paul Derrick says his team is “ready to rock” ahead of a big semi-final clash with East Keilor this weekend.

Essendon District Football League Division 2 match between Moonee Valley and Roxburgh Park at Ormond Park Moonee Ponds. Harley Short,26 for Roxburgh Park. Pictures: Angie Basdekis

ROXBURGH Park coach Paul Derrick says his team is “ready to rock” ahead of a big semi-final clash with East Keilor this weekend.

After finishing in the top two spots on the Essendon District Football League Division 2 ladder, the pair will meet at Coburg City Oval on Saturday with the biggest of carrots on offer — a spot in the grand final.

Unbeaten through the first 13 rounds of the season, Roxburgh Park was just about an unbackable premiership favourite until they fell to East Keilor in Round 14.

But Derrick said the 24-point loss was one his team needed to have, adding that the Magpies had responded strongly since and rediscovered their form of earlier in the season.

“I think last time we played them we were really flat from start to end, even though we had the lead at half-time,” he said.

“But probably the loss helped us a lot because it was a bit of a reality check for the boys that things aren’t that easy, they’ve got to get back to working hard.

“It’s one each now so we go in probably just as confident as they are and I think if we play our best footy we’re in with a chance.”

Roxburgh Park had beaten East Keilor by 31 points when the sides met the first time in Round 9, and 35 goals were kicked ­between the sides in what was a genuine shootout with Timothy Blacker booting seven ­majors for the Magpies.

Blacker had surgery on a broken wrist last week which will see him miss Roxburgh Park’s finals campaign and East Keilor is confident it can avoid a shootout this time around.

“I’ve felt we’ve played some real good controlled football the last few weeks where we’ve been able to control the tempo of it,” Cougars coach David Battistella said. “Our better players are playing well, too, which ­always helps.”

Battistella said having the preliminary final weekend to freshen up was a valuable advantage, making this weekend’s semi-final a vital game to win despite his side having locked in a double-chance this year.

“Now we know we’ve got the double chance and if it means we do put in a bad one, you regroup and hopefully you’re good enough to bounce back,” he said. “If you don’t put in a bad one, you get the bonus of the week off — ideal.”

Coburg Districts will face Keilor Park in Sunday’s first semi-finalat Glenroy’s Sewell Reserve.