Sports reporter Lance Jenkinson takes a look back at the biggest sporting moments in the west in 2011.
LION kings: Two of the Western Region Football League's fiercest rivals, Deer Park Lions and Albanvale Cobras, squared off in an all-Brimbank division 2 grand final at Chirnside Park.
The anticipation of a neighbourly stoush was sadly missing as the Lions ran riot to win by a whopping 131 points.
The Lions, steered by father-son coaching combination of Nick and James Condos, went through the season undefeated to earn promotion to the top-flight.
Green with envy: Green Gully Cavaliers made it back-to-back titles with a gripping 3-2 win over Oakleigh Cannons in the Victorian Premier League grand final at AAMI Park in September.
Cavs super sub Hamid Basma was the man of the moment with a goal in the second half and a season-deciding strike in extra time.
Thunder struck: Keilor Thunder had a clean sweep of the Blackburn Vikings in the best-of-three Victorian Basketball League Big V women's division 2 grand final series in August.
The Thunder, coached by Steve Toy, invaded the Vikings house to win game one before returning to the Keilor Basketball Stadium to complete a storybook ending to their season.
Super Spurs: VU-St Albans Spurs produced a miraculous turnaround from week one of the Victorian Women's Football League finals to beat five-time reigning premiers Darebin Falcons in the playoff for the Susan Alberti Cup at Coburg City Oval in August.
The Spurs were belted by the Falcons in the second semi-final, bounced back to beat Diamond Creek in the preliminary final and after a short six-day break dished out a 79-point flogging to the Falcons at the big dance.
Eade sacked: The winds of change swept through the Western Bulldogs.
Much-liked long-time senior coach Rodney Eade was sacked after 162 games at the helm.
Eade's replacement was untried Essendon assistant coach Brendan McCartney.
Purple haze: Keilor Park sealed the Football Federation Victoria men's state league 3 north-west title with two games to spare.
The boys in purple brushed aside the disappointment of narrowly missing promotion 12 months earlier when they clinched the premiership with a 2-1 victory over Avondale Heights at Keilor Park Reserve.
Welcome mat: The red carpet was rolled out for the arrival of expansion club Caroline Springs in the Western Region Football League's second division.
The Lakers made an immediate impression with a first-up win over Braybrook, the oldest club in the league. The Town Centre Oval was rocking as the Lakers stunned the visitors by 53 points on a historic day in April.
Wonderful Woodsmen: It was the Western Region Football League division 1 grand final we all wanted. Albion, the defending champions, playing off against Spotswood, winner of the previous three premierships.
It was the Woodsmen who went on to make it four flags in five years with a 35-point in the grand final at Chirnside Park in September.
Muscat's homecoming: Kevin Muscat, a pioneer of Socceroos returning from Europe to play in the A League, fittingly ended his illustrious playing days where it all began with Sunshine George Cross in the Football Federation Victoria state leagues.
Muscat's 579th and last game, after a career that included 51 caps for Australia, stints in the English and Scottish premier leagues and captaincy of the Melbourne Victory, ensured the Georgies would not be relegated to the third tier.
Soaring Jets: This was the year the Western Jets became relevant again in the TAC Cup. The Steven Kretiuk-coached Jets won over Geelong Falcons in the finals before bowing out with a narrow loss to rivals Calder Cannons in the semis.
Three of their young stars landed at AFL clubs, including Will Hoskin Elliott, in the top-five, Adam Kennedy (both GWS Giants) and Elliott Kavanagh (Essendon).
Better late than never: Nikola Roganovic finally got a crack at the big time with Melbourne Heart in the A League.
It took the goalkeeper four consecutive Victorian Premier League winners medals - two with Altona Magic and two with Green Gully Cavaliers - to earn a place in the national league. Roganovic made his Heart debutwhen Clint Bolton went down with injury.
Good news Bears: The creation of a new Essendon District Football League club was the highlight of the year for Brimbank-North West area teams.
Burnside Heights Bears will join the EDFL's junior ranks next season after choosing the league as its new home ahead of the Western Region Football League.
Email a friend