Seven days is a long time in football – Riddell showed just how long in Riddell District Football League.
In the final round of the season, the Bombers were embarrassed by Rupertswood in both the seniors and reserves.
As luck would have it, the two clubs would again face off on Saturday in both seniors and reserves – this time in elimination finals.
First the reserves took to the park. Twice the Sharks got out to the front, before the Bombers responded and went on to win by nine points.
The seniors started in a similar way, with the Sharks starting the better of the two sides kicking three goals to one in the first quarter. The Bombers turned it around and led by 23 points at half-time.
Both teams struggled to score in the third quarter, before the Bombers made the most of kicking with the wind.
Kicking six goals to two in the final term, the Bombers won 14.9 (93)-7.8 (50).
Bombers’ coach Jamie Elliott said he was delighted with the turnaround from the week before.
“The mindset was completely different and the senior players came to play this week,” he said.
“They went through the motions last week, which was disappointing as a coach as third place was on the line. The pressure acts were there and they wanted the ball this week.”
Having watched the reserves match, Elliott put a man behind the ball in the first quarter to help against what the Bombers thought was a four-goal breeze. It worked, as they restricted the Sharks to just a two-goal advantage.
From there it was all the Bombers.
“It was a windy day and we got the ball to the dangerous spots,” Elliott said.
“There was a lot of pressure on their shots and we defended really well.”
Brian Ruffell was the main man up forward, kicking six goals, with Elliott saying the work of Ruffell and James Nolan to bring the ball to ground in the forward line created a number of opportunities.
Matthew Panuccio was best on ground with Paul Sahlberg and Scott Walsh’s work also vital.
The loss means the Sharks are yet to win a senior final since joining the competition in 2014. For the Bombers, it’s their first finals win since the 2014 elimination final.
This weekend Riddell face Macedon, which lost to Diggers Rest. Diggers Rest plays Broadford in the other semi-final.
For more on Diggers Rest’s win, go to www.starweekly.com.au/sports.
