Diggers Rest moves through to RDFL grand final after hard-fought preliminary final win over Riddell

DIGGERS Rest has qualified for a Riddell District Football League grand final showdown with Romsey after taking care of reigning premier Riddell in its preliminary final on Saturday.

RDFL. Riddell V Diggers Rest. Digger's Leny Clarke and Riddell's Pat Carriss in Lancefield.

DIGGERS Rest has timed its run like a well-trained racehorse.

Having finished the regular season in fourth spot on the Riddell District Football League ladder with a record of 11-5, the Burras were far from a premiership frontrunner.

But on the back of a third straight finals win over Riddell on Saturday, they are through to a second consecutive grand final.

And after the heartbreak of losing last year’s decider to Riddell by seven points, the hunger is there, as Diggers Rest looks to knock off a still unbeaten Romsey juggernaut on Sunday, in search of the premiership cup.

“We’re definitely not happy just to make the grand final, that’s for sure,” Burras coach Shaun Sims said.

“You can say a lot of things, I suppose. You can say they’re fresh and we’ve gone the hard way. But you can look at it that our bodies are hardened to finals football now.

“We’ve played three finals and we’ve been put in all situations, which is great for the group.”

Diggers Rest’s 11.15 (81) to 10.9 (69) preliminary final triumph came after a shaky start.

Sims’s side had trailed by 14 points at the first change, having managed just one goal for the opening term from a paltry five inside-50s.

The game was being played on Riddell’s terms, and the Burras simply could not get hands on the footy.

But after a few structural changes, the wheel started to turn and, after half-time, it was Diggers Rest that controlled the contest as it overcame an 18-point deficit at the main break to take the win.

“I didn’t think it was our best performance (on Saturday), but I think the guys would have gained a lot of belief to come from behind and beat Riddell at Lancefield,” Sims said.

“I think we got taught a really valuable lesson in the first quarter, which is great if you still win the game, which we did.”

Patrick Jackson and Leonard Clark were named the Burras’ best, while Luke Smailes played an important role up forward with three final-quarter goals.

The grand final will be held at Romsey Park on Sunday, from 2.45pm.