Diggers Rest triumphs over Riddell in RDFL grand final nailbiter

LEAGUE  officials thought something was not quite right in the last quarter at Romsey Park on Sunday.

Diggers Rest celebrates its grand final victory. Picture: Josie Hayden

LEAGUE  officials thought something was not quite right in the last quarter at Romsey Park on Sunday.

They questioned whether a Riddell behind had been noted on the scoreboard.

From where he was standing on the wing, Riddell District Football League operations manager Steve Williams dashed down to one of the goal umpires to ask if his hunch was right.

It was and Williams then went to a scoreboard attendant and advised of the error.

But in the final moments of battle, Diggers Rest players had not realised the change had been made and celebrated what they thought was a one-point win.

In the end, it mattered little as the Burras claimed victory in extra time in one of the great grand finals.

As RDFL president Allan ‘Ollie’ Matthews noted while standing on the boundary during the tense final minutes, “this is what grassroots footy is all about”.

Diggers Rest’s Taylor Hine and Matthew Krul embrace after the final siren. Picture: Josie Hayden

Firm favourite Diggers Rest had squandered opportunities earlier in the contest and entered halftime level with Riddell and with a wasteful 3.8 (26) on the board.

As conditions improved and the contest opened up in the second half, the Bombers found their rhythm and had all the run while applying plenty of pressure on the Burras.

By the final change the Bombers had established a 13-point lead.

But Diggers Rest was not done with yet and did what it had to do to get its hands on the premiership.

Burras coach Shaun Sims joked post-match that he and his coaching staff “almost died” during the epic finale to the match, such was the rollercoaster of emotions.

Some half-an-hour after the final siren, Sims was still pinching himself but was finally starting to crack a smile as the realisation began to sink in that Diggers Rest had claimed both the senior and reserves premierships.

“To be honest I’m still in shock at the moment,” Sims said.

“But it’s been a fantastic day.

“We’ve taken home two premierships for the footy club so I think it will sink in over coming days, what it means to the club and the community.”