Tara Murray
It wasn’t pretty but Riddell is through to the Riddell District Football League grand final after a hard fought win against Wallan on Saturday.
It was tough conditions out at Romsey Park on Saturday meaning scoring was hard to come by.
Just four goals were scored in the first three quarters with it anyone’s game heading into the final quarter.
The Bombers finally got some reward on the scoreboard in the final quarter with six goals to one to run away with an 8.10 (58)-3.5 (23) win.
Bombers coach Arron Bray said the conditions made it difficult.
“Wind and rain,” he said. “It made for a really tight and contested game all day.
“I thought we always had the game in control but the weather didn’t let us move the ball as cleanly as we normally do.
“We played very well against the wind as well, we restricted their scoring. We always thought the game was going to break open at some stage, just us staying defensively well structured.”
Bray said the lack of scoring was down to the conditions.
He said the wind was blowing 50-60 kilometres, while there was rain every 15 minutes and didn’t make for good spring finals footy.
Bray said it’s a win that you take and move on.
“You don’t complain too much especially in a qualifying final. I’d rather we be on this side of the ledger than the others.”
Bray said they always felt confident that if they could get a run on that their fitness and leg speed would allow them to get the job done.
Matthew Darby was the only multiple goalkicker for the Bombers with two goals.
Bray said Jacob Chahine was really good across centre half back, Ben Sonogan on half back, Luke Cannon and Josh Grabham were some of their standouts.
He said he felt Grabham won the big battle with Chris Stewart in the middle of the ground.
For Bray, it’ll be a different sort of feeling the next couple of weeks.
“I’ve never coached a grand final before,” he said. “I’ve made three prelims, the monkey is off the back you could say.”
The Bombers now have a week off before the grand final on September 15.
They will face the winner of the preliminary final between Wallan and the winner of the semi final between Diggers Rest and Macedon.
Bray said they would happily take the break.
“We left one out today [Saturday] through a slight injury,” he said. “Should be good in two weeks and that should be us at full strength if everything goes right between now and grand final day.
“We’ll train next week and train next Saturday and build up to grand final week.”
