Riddell claims first RDFL minor premiership since 2015 in dramatic final round
In a thrilling conclusion to the Riddell District season, Riddell snatched the minor premiership by a tiny margin to leapfrog Diggers Rest.
Riddell
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Riddell has snatched the Riddell District minor premiership in a dramatic final home-and-away match.
The Bombers’ 112-point win over Lancefield, coupled with Diggers Rest’s 38-point loss to Wallan, saw them take top spot by just 5.68 per cent.
The club made up a staggering 37 per cent difference in the final fortnight of the season, overcoming a 22 per cent margin in the final round.
It’s Riddell’s first minor premiership since 2015 but it will be hoping history doesn’t repeat having missed the grand final that season.
Bombers coach Justin Belleville said the week off would be critical after a bruising campaign.
“We’ll assess where everybody is at with their bodies, it’s been a tough year with everything as this the first full year in three years,” he said.
“Everyone’s had to manage, the other coaches are going through the same thing as us … everyone is after that extra break to get their bodies right.
“It’s just general soreness through not playing too much in the last three years.
“We get the double chance and now the week off, which is good.”
Diggers Rest will face Wallan for the second week in a row in Saturday’s qualifying final at Romsey Park.
Belleville said he wouldn’t be changing the club’s preparation drastically with a week off and was looking forward to seeing who he’d be facing in the major semi-final in a fortnight.
“We’ll train on Saturday and then head up and watch Wallan and Digger Rest and hopefully the beat each other up,” he said.
“You’d be pretty naive to think we didn’t know what we needed to do, we were just waiting on Wallan to beat Diggers.
“It’s been a long time at Riddell, we haven’t finished on top too many times but it means nothing really.”
Riley Paterson was named best-on-ground in the 19.15 (129) to 2.5 (17) victory at Lancefield Park, while Josh Grabham continued his outstanding season in the ruck.
Ben Sonogan booted five goals.
Bombers star Dylan Tarczon is in the frame to return in the first semi-final as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
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Tarczon hasn’t played since the Round 12 win over Romsey.
Riddell has split its matches against Diggers Rest and Wallan this season.
It has a 53-point loss and 26-point win against the Magpies and three-point win and six-point loss against the Burras.
The loser of the qualifying final will face either Romsey or Macedon in the first semi-final.
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