Bill West
Riddell was the BIG winner in the last home and away football round on Saturday, catapulting from second to top spot with a dramatic surge in percentage as Diggers Rest stumbled.
“I don’t think there is any team that wouldn’t want the first week of finals off to sit back, freshen up, and watch the opposition go at each other,” Bombers coach Justin Belleville said.
Percentage can be strange, even so late in the season, with Diggers Rest coach Jamie Robb stating “we know what we have to do to hold on to the minor premiership and will be doing everything it takes” before the match against Wallan.
Some of those statistical gurus around the Riddell League were in overdrive on Saturday as the realisation spread that perhaps Riddell could actually make up the 22 per cent needed to overhaul Diggers Rest.
From a Riddell perspective, it was full bore to beat Lancefield by as big as margin as possible; this was accomplished at Tigerland with a 19.15 to 2.5 victory, the Tigers being restricted to just two points in the second half as the Bombers piled on 11.7.
This gave Riddell a boost of almost 14 percentage; but more importantly, Wallan stunned Diggers Rest with a 10.8 (68) to 4.6 (30) victory at Greenhill Reserve, even with ace forward Matt Perri sidelined.
The ‘Diggers’ have been hard hit through injuries to key players, but did not expect to be dumped into the qualifying final against Wallan this weekend, beaten 10.8 to 4.6. The loss saw Diggers Rest’s percentage plummet by about 13 to 198.96.
Remarkably, Riddell ended up in top spot with a margin of 5.68!
Perri won the league’s goalkicking with 68, one more than fellow Magpie Corey Grindlay.
WIN TO HAWKS
Woodend-Hesket would up the season on a high by beating fourth-placed Romsey at Gilbert Gordon Reserve, and missing the finals by finishing half a game behind Macedon.
Playing coach Josh Pound, who kicked four goals, said the aim was always to play finals and it was hard to see the season as a pass.
“We had a lot of games which didn’t fall out way and that’s on us. Our points for and against and percentage shows we have been competitive.
“That being said there are still plenty of positives to take into next year,” Pound commented.
The Hawks’ Max Ambler won the reserves’ goalkicking with four on Saturday, and 43 for the season.
Romsey coach Paul Kennedy has turned full attention to the elimination final against Macedon, having made it clear Redbacks’ players who were not fully fit (Covid or injury) would not have played against the Hawks.
“Personally, I have been happy with our season and are very proud of the players’ efforts.
“Like a lot of clubs we have had a huge injury issue for most of the season so I’m proud of the players and to be playing finals is a great achievement,” Kennedy said.
Macedon tuned up for the elimination final by defeating cellar dweller Western Rams by 87 points, and coach Al Meldrum will be hoping the Cats can turn on a far better showing than in their last outing against Romsey.
Macedon 16.11 (107) d Western Rams 2.8 (20).
Goals (M) – J. Cooke, D. Salpietro 4, J. Kernan 3, T. Sims, J. Blake, K. Stuardt, P. Doyle, A. Collins.
Best – Kernan, J. Barnett, J. Mills, J. Wright, B. Hoyne, Salpietro.
Riddell 19.15 (129) d Lancefield 2.5 (17).
Goals (R) – B. Sonogan, 5, J. Grabham 4, M. Edwards, A. Duhua 2, J. Hammerling, O. Besanko, J. Morton, L. Shaw, R. Paterson, T. Alkemade.
Best – Paterson, Grabham, Sonogan, B. Williamson, Shaw, Hammerling.
Goals (L) – B. Sankey, H. Taylor.
Best – A. Robotham, Sankey, W. Janky, B. Rix, S. Jowett, Taylor.
Woodend-Hesket 11.8 (74) d Romsey 8.7 (55).
Goals (WH) – J. Pound 4, C. Dumper 2, C. Johns, T. Gawthrop, T. Pears, N. De Leur, T. O’Loughlin.
Best – T. Duff-Tytler, D. Bramley, J. Arceri, Dumper, A. Rae, Gawthrop.
Goals (R) – A. Paterson 2, M. Adamson, L. Newham, J. Jedwab, N. Hoy, D. Walsh, C. Sankey.
Best – Paterson, M. Burkett, N. Tessari, N. Rayment, Walsh, Sankey.
