Left: Dandenong Demon Peter Howell puts his body on the line in front of Parkmore Pirate Ashley Hooper.By Glen Atwell
A DISAPPOINTING season came to a close for two Southern Football League Division Three teams on Saturday at Wachter Reserve.
But it was the Dandenong Demons who squashed the squirming Parkmore Pirates by 166 points.
Amazingly, the Pirates booted 10 goals for the game, a season-high tally, which gives the Parkmore side something to work on over the summer.
But the Demons and the Pirates will be looking back on the season from quite different perspectives.
For the Demons it was the one that got away, leaving them one game outside the top four, but with a much higher percentage than the fourth-placed Cerberus.
The Demons had several chances to secure a finals position, but could not remain competitive for four quarters.
For the Pirates, describing the season as tough would be an understatement.
Many thought they would not last the entire season, but the players stuck creditably to their guns, survived talks of a mercy rule and kicked a season-high score on Saturday.
Parkmore Football Club manager Mike Smythe said planning for next year’s season had already started.
“We are reviewing the entire season, working out what we need to achieve to become competitive,” he said.
Smythe said current Pirates coach Mick Stanley would not hold the job next season. “Stanley will step aside and take up a playing role,” he said.
The most important task for the Pirates is to recruit enough players to field both a senior and reserves side.
“One side is just not viable, there is no depth and an illness or injury can really have an effect,” Smythe said.
The club is urging all former swashbucklers to get in touch with the Pirates.
“We don’t want commitment, we just want the past players to listen to what we have to say.
“If they want to help out and rebuild the Parkmore spirit, we’d welcome anyone,” he said.
On Saturday it was Robert Westin who sunk the Pirates’ ship, kicking eight goals for the Demons, while Randall Evans booted six.
Parkmore captain Chris Arnold kicked three goals and embodied the battling spirit that has kept the Pirate players turning up every week for the past 18 rounds.
“There has not been one forfeit, there have been some big losses, but not forfeits,” Smythe said.
