Tara Murray
A bruised and battered Diggers Rest wasn’t able to match it with Riddell when it mattered in the Riddell District Football League grand final.
Having seen three other teams from the club claim grand finals on Sunday, the Burras seniors were keen to make it the perfect day.
They started well with the breeze before trailing at half time by 11 points after the Bombers piled on the goals quickly.
The third quarter is said to be the premiership quarter and it proved that way. The Burras needed goals and while they got two early, they would be it.
The Bombers then ran over the top of them in the last quarter, to seal the premiership, 14.10 (94)-9.10 (64).
Burras playing coach Jamie Lobb said in the end they just couldn’t quite get there.
“We were beaten by a better team today, they were tough to play against,” he said.
“We had enough of the ball [in the third quarter] but we didn’t hit the scoreboard the way we would have liked.
“It’s the way it goes unfortunately.”
While the Burras started well, they were quickly finding themselves down on players. Andrew Tyquin hurt his knee and was on crutches after the game.
Ryan Mullen appeared to get a corkie while Josh Wallace limped from the ground. Both returned by were heavily impacted.
Throw in Taylor Hine missing after hurting his knee in the preliminary final and Cale Morton doing his hammy earlier in the finals.
“It has been a common pattern for us this year,” Lobb said.
“It is what it is, you’re always going to get injuries in contact sport, you have to look to overcome some of those, but makes it tough playing four finals in a row with a few injuries,
“We had a few bruised and battered guys out there, seven or eight limped into the game.
“It’s always tough to win and if you’re limping in like that it’s always harder again.”
Lobb said overall it had been a tough year for the side but they had still managed to make it through to the decider.
For the club overall it has been a successful one with two netball premierships and a football premiership.
“It has been long and it’s been tough,” Lobb said. “The club oval has had no facilities and we’ve been getting changed in portables.
“It has been a long wet year. Hats off to the guys on the committee who were there at 8am every home game putting up marquees.
“Overall for the club we had two netball and the reserves win, important for the guys to reflect in our loss on the way back to the club and celebrate the wins.”
