Players to watch and expert analysis of the Riddell District grand final

Will Riddell complete its dominance of the 2024 season or can Wallan end a 32-year premiership drought. Check out the RDFNL grand final players to watch and predictions.

Riddell and Wallan clash in the RDFNL grand final.

Will the season’s dominant power complete its mission or will the bridesmaid finally get to walk the aisle?

Riddell and Wallan promises to be a fascinating Riddell District grand final clash.

The Bombers are shooting for a second flag in three years having been the top team all season, losing just one game.

The Magpies are looking to end a 32-year premiership drought and have arguably never been in a stronger position to do so.

TALENT: LEADER’S TOP 30 PLAYERS OF RIDDELL DISTRICT SEASON

There are fascinating match-ups across the ground.

Wallan’s No.1 ranked offence against Riddell’s No.1 defence, while league-leading goalkicker Dean Galea leads the Bombers’ No.2 offence against Michael Mannix and the Magpies No.2 defence.

It will all start in the midfield with arguably the two prominent ruckmen in the competition, Josh Grabham and Chris Stewart.

With the weather looking good for Sunday afternoon, it will be a true battle for the flag.

Riddell and Wallan players fly for the ball. Picture: Andy Brownbill

KEY MATCH-UPS

DEAN GALEA v MICHAEL MANNIX

The Bombers ace against the Magpies’ skipper. You might think you ever comes out on top on Sunday will have a premiership medallion around their neck at the end of the day. Galea kicked two goals in each of the two home-and-away clashes and was held to just one major in the semi-final. However, it hasn’t stopped Riddell winning all three comfortably.

JOSH GRABHAM v CHRIS STEWART

Worth the price of admission alone. This should be a terrific one-on-one battle in the middle. The two gun ruckmen can give their team first use but also be marking targets around the ground and push forward to hit the scoreboard. Grabham is already a premiership captain, having held the cup aloft in 2022 but Stewart is an 11-time premiership player, captaining Deer Park to a string of flags.

BRENT SWALLOW v STEVEN BOYALL

The midfield battle should be fascinating and Swallow and Boyall have big parts to play. Both provide grunt on the inside and leadership. Boyall has returned from a knee reconstruction late in the season and played like he never missed a game. He has elevated Wallan’s play and could be the key to victory. Swallow might be the man to stop him but can do damage of his own going the other way.

TOMMY ALKEMADE v REUBEN RODE

With the inside midfield pretty well matched, it could come down to who has the composure and skill on the outside to deliver and hit targets inside 50m. There are few better in the competition than Alkemade and Rode. Both possess plenty of pace and can run all day. It would be great to see them go head-to-head at some stage.

BEN SONOGAN v JOHN BELLINO

Bellino’s arrival mid-season has anchored the Wallan offence and freed up the likes of Matt Perri, Jacob Langborne and Hayden Gill. As the bigger bodied forward, he probably shakes hands with Sonogan at the start of the game. The star Bombers defender will look to sag off and intercept or run off and provide some rebound.

Reuben Rode gets a kick for Wallan. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Tommy Alkemade celebrates a goal for Riddell. Picture: George Sal

X-FACTOR

RUPO THREE: Riddell comes with more than a little dash of Rupertswood. The Sharks knocked off Wallan in the 2019 RDFNL grand final before heading to the Essendon District league and three players – Luke Cannon, Brent Swallow and Dylan Podolczak – took the field that day. Will they return to inflict more pain on the Magpies on Sunday?

JAKE CARLISLE: Firstly, which end will he play at? Probably a bit of both. Arrived from Craigieburn mid-season as a forward but has been swung back to centre half-back in the last month or so with great success. No surprise as he was a pretty good one in his 151 AFL games. If he’s back, will look to intercept mark. If he’s forward, will look to be that marking target down the line.

EXPECTED LINE-UPS

Both clubs have plenty to ponder at team selection on Thursday night.

Riddell have had the luxury of having the week off but Arron Bray still has some difficult choices to make. Jackson Wadden, Dylan Podolczak and Trent Stead were all in the side for the semi-final win a fortnight ago. The likes of Jordan Reardon and Oscar Besanko are pushing to return. Besanko played 11 senior games this season and missed out for the semi-final but one was of the best in the reserve grade semi-final loss, while Reardon played 15 matches but missed the semi with injury.

Wallan, meanwhile, will definitely make at least one change with Sean Morris ready to return from injury. The gun midfielder had played every home-and-away game but has missed the past three weeks. Key defender Owen Fowler is also in line to return as the Magpies’ backline tries to cover Dean Galea and Matt Darby. Kobey Christall was Wallan’s best-on in the reserve grade preliminary final loss but hasn’t played a senior game this season.

COACH’S SAY

Arron Bray (Riddell): We just have to do what we’ve done all year, win every contest we go to. It’s a grand final so it will be a contested game. The team that stays disciplined and composed for the longest will win the game.

Daniel Nolan (Wallan): It will be won or lost in the midfield, Josh Grabham is their leader in the ruck and we’ve got Chris Stewart and we can throw Patty Mahoney or Hayden Gill in there. There’s good players on both sides and it’s going to be good to watch. The three that go in (the midfield) and both teams have speed on the wings.

Riddell coach Arron Bray. Picture: Josh Chadwick

Wallan coach Daniel Nolan. Picture: George Sal

VERDICT

The obvious answer is Riddell but finals – and especially grand finals – are never straight forward.

The Bombers have won all three clashes this season and in reasonably comfortably style.

Wallan might have the No.1 ranked forwardline in the competition but has been held to three, seven and five goals in those matches.

“Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles,” said Sir Alex Ferguson, the legendary Manchester United manager.

Defence has got Riddell to this point, minor premier and premiership favourite.

Can attack win the game for Wallan?

The Magpies have six players with 15 or more goals this season. Riddell has two.

While the club is chasing its first flag since 1992, it does possess plenty of premiership experience with the likes of Matt Perri, Sean Morris, Michael Mannix, Steve Boyall, John Bellino and, most obviously, Chris Stewart having tasted the ultimate success.

That said, if the semi-final team holds, Riddell has 10 players from its 2022 triumph – plus Besanko and Reardon in the wings and the trio of Rupertswood 2019 winners.

PREDICTION: Riddell by 24 points.