DEER Park has done the near impossible, defeating the previously unbeaten Parkside in the Western Region Football League Division Two Grand Final at Chirnside Park on Sunday.

The boilover completed a great comeback for the Lions, who fought from a 21-point half-time deficit, to win 16.12.108 to 13.9.87.

Deer Park was the closest team during the season proper to defeat the Magpies, going down by 18 points, with Lions coach Jamie Madigan asking his side pre-game to go out and do the unthinkable.

“I told them to create their own history, they did, and I’m so proud of them,” Madigan said.

The Lions won their way through the finals in style, winning four straight “elimination” finals, which Madigan said was a healthy preparation for the Grand Final.

“We were match hardened with four or five hard games in a row…they probably thought they would have been fresh after one game in a month, but maybe they were underdone.”

Madigan said there was a moment of realisation late in the last quarter when he knew he would be a premiership coach in 2009.

“Only at the 25-minute mark, 28 points up, I turned to chairman of selectors Greg Wilson and said ‘We’ve got this’.”

Deer Park captain and assistant coach Luke Summers said he was confident his side could reverse the result against Parkside during the season proper.

“We had five people out that day, including the (Rex Swann) medallist (Shaun Harrison),” he said.

Summers was full of praise for team-mate Adam Fenton, who quelled the influence of dangerous Parkside midfielder Peter Krueger. “The bloke that played on Krueger after half-time was brilliant. (At half-time) we did a bit of soul-searching. Parkside has been brilliant all year…that said, it was the first time we’ve had more than 10 goals kicked against us in a while.”

The Magpies captain-coach Nathan Juegan was visibly distraught after the game, and politely declined to comment on the match.

The game started well for the flag favourites, as they put their first major on the board after less than a minute, courtesy of Chris Muratore.

The Lions had a quick reply through Chris Robertson, and with the aid of a slight breeze, Deer Park went into the first break with a one-point lead.

Parkside showed its strength in the second quarter, kicking five goals to Deer Park’s two, and creating a predictable lead. The third quarter was Deer Park’s strongest, and three goals in the opening eight minutes put the margin within eight points, and some doubt into the dominant Parkside outfit.

The Magpies’ day was summed up midway through the third quarter, when the defence stopped playing after believing the ball had trickled over the Lions’ goal line for a point.

In fact, the goal umpire adjudged the ball still in the field of play, and Graeme Caterall kicked an easy goal, bringing the margin back to a point, and lifting the belief of the Deer Park supporters.

The Lions hit the front 22 minutes into the third quarter, and never rescinded the lead. The sealer for Madigan was Wayne Duggan’s goal from 40 metres out early in the last quarter, which put the margin out to 17 points.

“Wayne Duggan, 39 years of age, his goal was just icing on the cake. He kicked 100 A-Grade goals in 1993 and did his knee, so he missed out on the premiership in 1994,” Madigan said.

In other Grand Final results, Parkside had some success in the Division Two Reserves, thumping North Footscray 10.13.73 to 4.3.27, while Albion won the Under 18 B thumping Werribee Juniors.