Romsey romps into RDFL grand final with thumping win over Riddell in semi-final

OPPOSITION  clubs have said since early in the season that Romsey has had one hand on the Riddell District Football League’s premiership cup. Now they do.

RDFL: Romsey versus Riddell at Tony Clarke Reserve, Macedon Romsey's Mitch Farmer,15. Pictures:Angie Basdekis

OPPOSITION  clubs have said since early in the season that Romsey has had one hand on the Riddell District Football League’s premiership cup.

Now that is no longer a figure of speech but the truth.

The Redbacks won through to the competition’s September 14 grand final in style on Saturday as they squashed reigning premier Riddell like an ant in their most complete performance to date in a faultless season.

The victory was Romsey’s 18th in a row and further lowered their odds as premiership favourite, but the extent of the triumph was most surprising as the Redbacks won 21.11 (137) to 10.8 (68) at Macedon’s Tony Clarke Reserve.

“To be quite honest, it was probably our best performance of the year over four quarters,” Romsey president Wayne Milburn said.

“From go to whoa we kept kicking goals and that’s what it’s all about, and we kept them pretty much scoreless until the second half.

“But overall, it was probably our most solid hit-out for the year.”

The Bombers were powerless to stop the onslaught.

Romsey already led by 26 points at quarter time and the match was no longer a contest by half-time as the Redbacks established a 68-point buffer after holding Riddell goal-less in the second term.

The Bombers did respond in the second half, holding their own as both teams kicked eight goals.

But it mattered little, with Romsey the team taking the first grand-final spot on offer.

Phillip Lobb (five goals) was best-on-ground for the Redbacks while Anthony Trigg and Travis Mills also impressed.

Riddell will face Diggers Rest — which upset Ruperts­wood by 33 points in their semi-final — in the competition’s preliminary final on Saturday as it searches for another crack at Romsey in the decider.

“We always said from early in the season we thought it would be a Romsey-Rupo grand final and they (Rupertwood) were very disappointing (on Sunday),” Milburn said.

“It will be a good hit-out between Riddell and Diggers Rest this week though. It will be very interesting.”