Despite coming off two successive losses, Tullamarine remains confident it can give the Essendon District Football League division 1 title a shake.
The Demons, who will finish third all barring a miracle in the final round, lost the opportunity to grab a top two spot with losses to East Keilor and Hillside in the two most recent rounds.
The three-point loss to East Keilor in round 16 meant the weekend match with Hillside was virtually a play-off for second.
Demons president Michael Fiteni said the Sharks got an early jump on the Demons and they were never able to close the gap.
The Sharks won 13.12 (90)-9.10 (64).
“The Hillside match was always shaping as a big match,” he said. “They got the jump early and were able to kick goals in crucial times when we were getting back into it.
“At times we got really close … I don’t think the margin really reflected the game. But they were the better side.”
Joel Flanigan kicked three goals for the Demons with Robert Nikolic named the side’s best.
The result means the Demons sit a game and 21 per cent behind the Sharks heading into the final round.
Conceding that the Demons’ top two hopes gone, Fiteni said they would focus on the challenge of beating Oak Park and elimination final the following week.
If Oak Park wins, the two teams will likely play off the following week.
“Top two and getting the double chance is always a bonus,” he said.
“But we’re confident we can still give the title a shake. We have beaten both Glenroy and Hillside during the season.”
Fiteni said the side would get several players back for the Oak Park game. He said that besides captain Justin Marcy and Daniel Devine, who are out for the season, the Demons would be at full strength.
While the focus is on the remaining games, the club is also still sorting through applications for the senior coaching position.
Anthony Leydin was sacked as coach last month.
Fiteni said the club and Leydin have a few different views on things and there were signs he wasn’t the right person to move forward with as coach.
Fiteni said the playing group and the rest of the coaching panel had quickly refocused and moved on.
Meanwhile, in great news for the club, its under-17s will play in a junior grand final this weekend.
Fiteni said it was a great thing for the club, considering it didn’t have an under-17 side (it was then under-16) last season.
In other results, Westmeadows smashed Hadfield, 22.19 (151)-4.5 (29).
