Riddell District Football League 2015 season preview

THE Riddell District Football League continues to take strides forward and this season promises to be one of the best yet, as Chris Cavanagh reports.

Footy Romsey v Diggers Rest.Romsey winners.

THERE is little doubt the standard of the Riddell District Football League has improved in recent years.

From a fairly low-ranking country competition, the league is fast catching up with some of its major metropolitan counterparts.

And the message from the clubs this year is to expect that upward trajectory to continue as more teams make genuine charges in search of premiership glory.

“The competition just keeps improving year after year, which is what they should want and what the players should want,” Diggers Rest coach Shaun Sims said.

“If you go in with the same team again, you’re going to be in a bit of strife.

“You’ve just got to keep improving and that’s the way local footy’s going these days. Clubs are just getting better at running themselves each year.”

The Burras are one of the several clubs who have bolstered their list and remain a genuine contender.

Despite the heartbreak of last year’s grand final loss to Romsey, the playing list has remained intact and is ready to have another crack at claiming the club’s first senior flag since 1993.

But Sims isn’t buying into the premiership talk just yet, reiterating how fierce he expects the competition to be this year.

“If you’re thinking about that (premierships) at this time of year, then you’re probably in a bit of strife,” he said.

“It looks like all the teams that were up there last year have improved again and we’re hearing that a lot of the teams that were outside the top six have recruited well, too, and are trying to push up the ladder.

“I think you’ll probably find that it will be one of the most even seasons in the last five years.”

Reigning premier Romsey went unbeaten last year but is not expecting its winning streak to continue too far into the new campaign.

The Redbacks have lost seven players from last year’s premiership side and have not been too busy on the recruiting front, coach Dean Helmers instead looking to some of the younger brigade to step up along with those who were on the fringe last year.

“We’re in a pretty good position at Romsey where there was a lot of players that were pretty unlucky to miss out last year and there’s some really good kids coming through,” Helmers said.

Given the losses, Romsey has been a notable absentee from much of the talk surrounding who will win this year’s flag. But Helmers isn’t counting his side out of the race.

“I know everyone’s talking Diggers Rest, Sunbury, Broadford, Macedon,” he said. “But I’ve never really worried too much about what anyone else does, I’m just trying to control what I can control.

“I’m not looking at premierships at this stage. I just want to get as much into the young blokes as I can and if we put it all together and they all learn the game plan, anything’s possible.”

Macedon finished 11th with four wins last year.

It means it is difficult for coach Jeff Andrews to wrap his head around why some are saying the Cats will play off in this year’s grand final.

“I think that’s really ridiculous,” Andrews said. “We finished in the bottom-three last year and we haven’t gone and recruited more than half a dozen players.”

Those players Macedon has added are quality though, headlined by key forward Marus Kenny, who is expected to significantly improve a side which struggled in the attacking half last year.

“We were pretty ordinary at both ends last year,” Andrews said.

“We were really easily scored against and we didn’t kick enough goals so hopefully we’ll be better in both areas this year.”

Macedon might just take the baton off Rupertswood as this season’s bolter.

Rupo finished second behind Romsey on the ladder last year, coming from sixth the year before, but was “found wanting” in finals and bombed out in straight sets.

“That’s the next step for the club for sure, to start winning finals now,” coach Ben Jordan said.

“There’s pretty good enthusiasm around the place to step it up again from last season so that’s what we’re looking to capitalise on.”

Elsewhere, Riddell is expected to be in the finals mix once again, while Sunbury Kangaroos have recruited strongly.

“I’m not looking forward to picking Round 1 because there’s premiership players and a few other boys that maybe have higher expectations on themselves that may miss out,” Roos coach Chris Meacham said.

Melton Centrals, Rockbank, Lancefield, Kilmore and Woodend-Hesket all have new coaches and will be looking to better their 2014 results while Wallan and Broadford will also be hoping they can raise the bar after struggling last season­.