Diggers Rest use historic loss to Wallan as platform for second half of season

No club in Victoria wants football to return as soon as possible than Diggers Rest. The Burras determined to make amends for its last-start humiliation.

No club in Victoria wants footy to return more than Diggers Rest.

The Riddell District league powerhouse is desperate for a chance to atone after a last-start 142-point loss to premiership rival Wallan before the current lockdown put the season on hold.

The Burras were due to face last-placed Western Rams this weekend before the lockdown was extended and will likely have to wait another week due to the Queen’s Birthday weekend.

It was Diggers Rest’s first loss to Wallan at home and it’s biggest loss to any club in more than a decade.

Burras coach Jamie Lobb said the playing group had to own that performance and hoped they could use it as motivation in the second half of the season.

Diggers Rest coach Jamie Lobb.

“You don’t want a game like our last effort hanging over your head for too long but unfortunately that’s what we’re dealing with at the moment,” he said.

“I don’t think you can erase a loss like that from the memory, that’s part of the history of our club now.

“The guys need to accept that and own that they were a part of that and use it as a platform to ensure we never experience anything like that again.”

Surprisingly, the pre-season premiership favourites sit 3-3 after the opening six rounds with losses to Macedon and Riddell as well.

Should restrictions be lifted and football allowed to resume in the next fortnight, Diggers will host Romsey in the first game after the Queen’s Birthday before a rematch against undefeated ladder-leader Riddell.

Lobb is confident his players can come together and use the break to their advantage.

“Sitting 3-3 is definitely not were we want to be and not where I thought we’d be,” he said.

“We’ll put some time into planning for training, team structure, game style and how we want to play for the rest of the year.

Diggers Rest captain Cole Laurie.

“As frustrating as it is not getting on the track and doing some work with everybody, the guys have taken it on themselves and put in a lot of work in this little period.”

The Burras will get some key reinforcements back when they next take the field.

Luke Delahey played his first game back from an ankle injury against Wallan, while Stuart Clarke, Jaidyn Caruana and James McMahon were all due to return this week.

While finishing the season on top was the aim, Lobb is confident the club can still make a deep finals run regardless of where they finish in the top five.

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The minor premier hasn’t gone on to win the RDFL premiership in either of the last two seasons.

“With the top five this year it’s a different set up,” Lobb said.

“Talking to the other coaches, it’s a bit of an unknown to finish top – don’t get me wrong I’d take in a heartbeat – but it’s a question mark.

“If you get the first week off then win the first final you get another week off and the grand final is your second game in four weeks.”