It was a mixed return to football for the Animals Senior and Reserve sides out west as the Seniors would dominate and lock away a finals berth whilst the Reserves faltered, leaving the top 4 door wide open.
A typical blustery Truganina day would make for challenging conditions, and the Reserves would struggle to get a handle on them.
Kicking in to the stiff breeze to start the day, the Animals would concede 4 goals late in the first quarter to concede a lead that would be all too much to reign back in, despite the efforts of several key players down back.
A best on ground performance from Darcy Burke off halfback, and an equally as quality turn out from precision kicker Nic Glanville would not be enough to steady the Animals after quarter time, who would fail to make use of the breeze in the second term.
A half time soul search would lead to immediate results, but Westbourne would strike on the stroke of three quarter time, in what was a body blow in more ways than one as Cam Gardner careened into the goal umpire.
The last term would see the Animals draw within a kick, but unable to go any further as the Warriors ran out 13 point winners and remain in touching distance of the chasing pack.
The Seniors would sign from a different hymn sheet, as they struck early and often.
A 43 point opening term was a let off for Westbourne as wayward kicking kept the total lower. Wave after wave of attack streamed down the field with the Animals midfielders winning the contest at every junction.
The second term would be even more fruitful, as in to the wind the Animals began to flex their muscles up front. Mercurial small forward Dan Hill would begin bobbing up in every right place at every right time, whilst in game 249 Lawrence Virgo would slot one of the goals of the day from on 50 with a beautiful worked set shot from out wide.
Lengthy quarters are tradition at Westbourne, and it would allow the Animals to heap on more pain in the third and fourth quarters. However the third quarter was not spare of multiple extra curricular incidents which would threaten to ruin the day for the boys from Burwood. Calls for the Animals to settle and focus would see them break the 100 point mark in both score and margin.
By the time the fourth quarter eventually started, the Animals had hit high gear, piling on 9 last quarter majors to 2, blowing away Westbourne and in the process raising their percentage from 165% to near 189%.
Dan Hill would end the day with 9 majors, doubling Westbourne’s score on his own, whilst emerging key forward Emerson Lemkau would have 4 of his own.