Tara Murray
Riddell cracked the code to get back to the top of the perch in the Riddell District Football League on Sunday.
After an off season that resulted in a new coach and a number of players joining the club, the Bombers were seen as the favourites from the start of the year.
While it was a slow build, the Bombers kept putting the wins on the board to claim the minor premiership with just one loss for the year.
They soon found themselves in a grand final against Wallan.
On Sunday, the Bombers got the early jump with the wind and would be in front all day.
The Magpies came late, but the Bombers had all the answers, winning 15.12 (102)-11.5 (71).
Bombers coach Arron Bray said the feeling was more relief than anything.
“I suppose we had a lot of expectations on us because we had such a good year,” he said. “So, you know and you get to the big one and you don’t want to sort of let your supporters or your sponsors and everybody down.
“The boys got the job done.”
Bray said after building throughout the season he felt they hit their straps at the right time of the season.
He said it ended with probably one of their biggest scores of the year which was pleasing to see.
The Bombers led by 20 points at quarter time and the margin stayed the same at the main break.
But Riddell couldn’t break the Magpies in the third quarter, extending the margin by four points to make it 24 points at the final break.
“Our second quarter against the wind was really good,” Bray said. “And I think we didn’t take our chances when we had a fair bit of the ball inside our 50.
“The message at three quarter time was pretty much just continue what we were doing and sooner or later we were hoping the game would break open and pretty much that is what happened.”
Bray said the three to four goal margin was a difficult one as the opposition could get on a run and the lead was gone quickly.
They were able to maintain that to keep the pressure back on the Magpies.
The Bombers had a response every time the Magpies came at them.
“We did not try and shut the game down, we continued to play with courage and that is what I tried to get into the group,” Bray said.
“Don’t play with fear. They got on a little bit of a run there and then we went, bang, bang, bang back the other way.
“Credit to the boys they stuck at it.”
Tommy Alkemade was awarded the Doug McIntyre Medal as the player judged best on ground.
Bray said Cal Williamson, who was best on ground in the 2022 grand final, stood up in the second half, Josh Grabham in his battle with Chris Stewart in the ruck and Haydn Ross’ ball use were other standouts.
Dean Galea kicked five goals which Bray said was pretty much a match winning performance.
Trent Stead finished with three goals for the Bombers we well.
For Wallan, Brodie Gilchrist, Steven Boyall and Corey Viani were named their best.
For Bray, it was his first premiership as a coach. He hadn’t made a grand final before this one.
“Getting a new coach in is a really big risk for a footy club,” he said. “They didn’t know much about me and a couple of boys moved across from Rupo [Rupertswood] made the transition a little bit easier, so because they knew how I wanted the game played they were able to rely on that through the rest of the group.
“One hundred per cent record, not bad.”
