Tara Murray
Diggers Rest will need to quickly forget about its qualifying final loss to Wallan if it’s to keep its Riddell District Football League season alive.
Heading into the match most people could have seen either team getting the win, but no one predicted what occurred at Romsey Park on Saturday.
The Magpies tore the Burras apart in a 17.14 (116)-3.5 (23) win.
The Burras were kept goal less in the first half and trailed by 51 points at the main break. The pain continued in the second half, with the Magpies winning through to face Riddell for a spot in the grand final.
Having lost to the Magpies two weeks in a row, Burras coach Jamie Lobb knows they have work to do.
He was lost for answers after that performance.
“It’s probably something we don’t want to look too far into,” he said. “ We had a stinker in all parts of the ground and not something you want to dwell on.
“We won’t look too deep into it and we’ll focus on ourselves and what we can do to get back into this finals series.”
Lobb said there were a few positives out of the game, but overall they need to be better otherwise they would be knocked out in straight sets.
It was all single goal kickers for the Burras, with Patrick Jackson and Justin Tenaglia named their best.
For the Magpies, who were without the competition’s leading goal kicker Matthew Perri, Todd Muldoon and Nathan Fowler kicked four goals each.4
Jarryd Bonello was named best on ground.
Lobb said for his side now it was about taking it week by week, having lost the second chance.
They were sitting top of the table heading into the final round.
“We need to focus on ourselves,” he said. “Our best footy is better than anyone else’s, we need to get back to finding that footy.
“We will get a few players back next week which will naturally help. Personnel changes will make a difference but our performance was more than that.”
“We need to get in the right headspace and have a good week on the track.”
The Burras will face either Macedon or Romsey in a knockout semi final. The Magpies will play Riddell in the other semi final.
Among those set to return for the Burras for the semi final are Matthew Krul, Luke Ronaldson, Taylor Hine and Mitchell Day.
Lobb said they return of those players would certainly help the side put out a better performance.
It wasn’t all bad news for the Burras on Saturday, with the reserves winning their qualifying final against Melton Centrals.
The Burras winning 5.7 (37)-2.7 (19). The Burras now face Wallan for a spot in the grand final.
Lobb said the side played really well, but with several players set to return for the seniors it would be a tough week at selection with 10 players having missed out on being picked for the first week of finals.
