SFNL v RDFNL: Southern league coach Des Ryan speaks on his side’s stunning comeback

The Southern league stormed home to pinch an overtime thriller. Coach Des Ryan explains how his side got it done, the moves they had to make and who he wants to take on next year.

Des Ryan addresses the players at three-quarter time. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Assistant coach Kris Thompson sent the message down to the coaches on the sideline.

“Four goals, eight minutes. Cheltenham did it, let’s go,” he said.

He was referring to the Rosellas’ rattling come-from-behind premiership last year, where they – at the same venue – stormed home to overrun Cranbourne.

Led by some of the same faces – and some new ones – the Southern league managed to mow down the Riddell District league’s 33-point three-quarter time lead to pinch victory in overtime.

The Southern league had emerged from the clouds after conceding eight straight goals early in the game.

The overtime one-point win follows the exact same result in the RDFNL’s favour the last time the two leagues met in 2019.

Head coach Des Ryan said the result “was just poetic”.

“I think we played a lot better after half time but we just didn’t convert on the scoreboard, I just said to the boys that we had to just keep our composure with the footy.

“We didn’t control the ball early in the game, they did, they capatilised on it and were too good for us.

“Come halfway through the first quarter we had the momentum and we had a good run of it, we just thought we could win it.

“To finish off with a tied ball game was just poetic.”

The Southern league side. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Trent Dennis-Lane (five goals) levelled the scores with less than a minute to go and then kicked the Southern league’s only goal in extra time.

Ryan said Dennis-Lane “was fabulous”, particularly after the side lost Jacob Edwards and Caleb Lewis to leg injuries.

“We had him coach the forwards during the campaign and he did a great job of that,” he said.

“He still knows his craft (as a player) and finished off really well, we made some really good moves in the end that worked for us.

“Nick Stathopoulos went on ball and did a good job for us, Alex Windhager went into the ruck and did a good job – that was by necessity because Jacob Edwards was so sore — Ollie Moran went forward.

“We made some critical moves and they worked, which helps because sometimes you can make moves all day and they don’t work.”

Trent Dennis-Lane fires at goal. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Ryan is committed to the Southern league for three years and wants to see them take on some other “points of the compass” in years to come.

“They were great today but I think it would be great from a suburban point of view to take on Northern, Eastern or Western,” he said.

“You’ve got four points of the compass and we’re one of them and we’re proud of that.

“We should be able to get our team together and take on someone in the Melbourne precinct.

“We did a really good job to get that through together, there’s plenty more boys that can play in this team.

“If we keep building the camaraderie, the idea and the prestige of it, that’s when we’ll get our best players on the park.”

It was a clean sweep for the SFNL, taking out all four games on offer.

James Tasiyan, son of St Kilda City champion Mark, wasn’t named best-afield for the under-19s but he had watchers reaching for the team sheet after his matchwinner.

SCOREBOARD

SFNL 2.1 4.9 7.10 14.15 (99)

RDFNL 6.3 8.5 13.7 15.8 (98)

SFNL goals: Dennis-Lane 5, O’Toole 3, Barker 3, Moran 2, Stathopoulos 1.

Best: Dennis-Lane, Godfrey, Stathopoulos, Windhager

RDFNL goals: Alkemade 3, Morris 2, Cannon 2, Jobson 2, Toman 1, Rode 1, Schwarzenberg 1, Jedwab 1, Gill 1, Mahoney 1.

Best: Rode, Alkemade, Morris, Cannon.