We predict who plays Riddell District finals after the finals seven weeks of the season

The minor premiership, double chance and top-five are all up for grabs in what looms as an exciting run home. See who we predict will play finals.

The Riddell District run home predictions.

There’s plenty up for grabs in the Riddell District run home.

The minor premiership, the double chance and a top-five finish are all wide open.

Riddell, Diggers Rest, Wallan and Romsey are all fighting for a top-three finish with a finals bye the reward for finishing top.

Macedon and Kyneton are battling to make the top five – the Cats looking to return after missing out last year and the Tigers hoping for a debut season finals finish.

We’ve looked into the crystal ball and tried to predict every club’s finishing position.

Can Diggers Rest defend its premiership? Picture: Josh Chadwick

1. RIDDELL (9-0-1, 179.75%)

Run home: Woodend-Hesket (A), Macedon (H), Diggers Rest (H), Melton Centrals (A), Romsey (H), Bye, Lancefield (A)

Difficulty: 5.5/10

Prediction: WWWWWBW

Finish: First (15-0-1)

Can the Bombers be perfect from here? It’s biggest tests come against Macedon, Diggers Rest and Romsey and all three are at home. Riddell is currently a game clear on top of the ladder with the biggest percentage in the competition. It means, the team can afford a slip up in the run home but Arron Bray will also not want to flirt with the team’s form as it has the bye in the penultimate round before what looms as an easy kill against Lancefield in the final game of the regular season.

2. DIGGERS REST (8-0-2, 139.46%)

Run home: Wallan (A), Lancefield (H), Riddell (A), Kyneton (H), Bye, Romsey (A), Melton Centrals (H)

Difficulty: 4/10

Prediction: LWLWBWW

Finish: Third (12-0-4)

The reigning premier is still in the running for the minor premiership and a week off in the first round of finals. Two games will decide the Burras’ fate. Wallan this weekend and ladder-leader Riddell in Round 14. Unfortunately, both are on the road. Win, lose or draw, a top-three finish is all but guaranteed anyway – barring any unforeseen hiccups in the final month. Diggers will be keen to avenge a home loss to Romsey when it visits the Redbacks in Round 17.

Sean Morris tries to handball for Wallan. Picture: Josh Chadwick

3. WALLAN (7-0-3, 165.04%)

Run home: Diggers Rest (H), Woodend-Hesket (H), Macedon (A), Bye, Melton Centrals (H), Lancefield (H), Kyneton (A)

Difficulty: 3/10

Prediction: WWWBWWL

Finish: Second (12-0-4)

The Magpies looked good – although inaccurate – in the win over Romsey on Saturday. If they can back it up against Diggers this weekend then – with due respect to the next five opponents – they shouldn’t be losing another match and will lock in an all important double chance. Four home games in the last six matches is a massive advantage. The only possible hurdle is Kyneton in Kyneton in Round 18. The Tigers will likely be fighting for their season and will want to put on a show for their fans. The second best percentage in the competition could be a critical tie-breaker.

4. ROMSEY (7-0-3, 115.03%)

Run home: Melton Centrals (A), Bye, Lancefield (A), Woodend-Hesket (H), Riddell (A), Diggers Rest (H), Macedon (A)

Difficulty: 6/10

Prediction: WBWWLLW

Finish: Fourth (11-0-5)

An untimely loss to Wallan has put Romsey on the back foot in the race for the double chance but there’s still plenty of time to make up for it. The Redbacks have one of the simpler runs home and we’re tipping Justin Sherman’s men to finish strongly. Knocking off Riddell on the road might be too much to ask but if they can repeat their terrific Round 9 win over Diggers Rest – at home in Round 17 – then that might be just enough to jump into the top three.

Jason Cooke in action for Macedon. Picture: Josh Chadwick

5. MACEDON 4-0-5, 120.62%)

Run home: Kyneton (H), Riddell (A), Wallan (H), Lancefield (A), Woodend-Hesket (H), Melton Centrals (A), Romsey (H)

Difficulty: 6/10

Prediction: WLLWWWL

Finish: Fifth (8-0-8)

An immediate return to finals is in Macedon’s hands. Win this weekend at home game against Kyneton and the Cats have one foot in. The following fortnight will be difficult – Riddell and Wallan – but there’s no reason the club can’t then win out in the final month. The Round 18 match against Romsey is a 50-50. Perhaps most importantly, Macedon’s healthy percentage is 28 points more than Kyneton.

6. KYNETON (4-0-6, 92.49%)

Run home: Macedon (A), Melton Centrals (H), Bye, Diggers Rest (A), Lancefield (H), Woodend-Hesket (A), Wallan (H)

Difficulty: 4.5/10

Prediction: LWBLWLW

Finish: Sixth (7-0-9)

Can the Tigers push for a finals finish in their Riddell District debut? There are a number of “eight-pointers” in the run home that will decide Kyneton’s fate. It starts this weekend with a trip to top-five rival Macedon. Win that and its in the box seat. The Tigers have three very winnable games against Centrals, Lancefield and Woodend but getting four points out of Diggers Rest and Wallan might be too much to ask. Wins are one thing but percentage is also an issue for a club looking to squeeze into the five.

7. WOODEND-HESKET (3-0-7, 82.93%)

Run home: Riddell (H), Wallan (A), Melton Centrals (H), Romsey (A), Macedon (A), Kyneton (H), Bye,

Difficulty: 6/10

Prediction: LLWLLWB

Finish: Seventh (5-0-11)

Alas, the Hawks will not be playing finals this season after making last year’s grand final. An outflux of talent was too much for the club to overcome. Woodend showed it can still compete with the big boys, pushing Diggers Rest to 18 points a fortnight ago and coach Al Rae would be looking for a strong performance against Riddell in front of the faithful this week. The club cops the dreaded Round 18 bye, instead finishing the season at home against neighbours Kyneton, which it will be targeting as must-win.

8. MELTON CENTRALS (2-0-7, 48.03%)

Run home: Romsey (H), Kyneton (A), Woodend-Hesket (A), Riddell (H), Wallan (A), Macedon (H), Diggers Rest (A)

Difficulty: 8.5/10

Prediction: LLLLLLL

Finish: Eighth (2-0-14)

After some really positive results last season, it’s been a tougher road for Centrals in 2024. The club’s only wins have come against Lancefield. Unfortunately, it now faces the hardest run home in the RDFNL with only three home games in the final seven weeks. It might fancy its chances against Macedon at home in the penultimate round.

9. LANCEFIELD (0-0-10, 42.65%)

Run home: Bye, Diggers Rest (A), Romsey (H), Macedon (H), Kyneton (A), Wallan (A), Riddell (H)

Difficulty: 8/10

Prediction: BLLLLLL

Finish: Ninth (0-0-16)

The Tigers came agonisingly close to a breakthrough win in the last fortnight, going down by just five points to Romsey and three points against Woodend-Hesket on Saturday. Frustratingly for the club, it looks like those might have been the last chances for a victory in 2024. A horror run home awaits after this weekend’s bye with each of the top-six teams.