Seventeen – that was the number of points that separated six teams in three Riddell District Football League grand finals last year.
Riddell won the under-18.5 flag by a point. Diggers Rest won the reserves decider by nine points, and Riddell claimed the day’s biggest honours, by seven points, in the seniors.
PICTURE GALLERY REWIND: 2013 RDFL grand final
Season 2014 promises more of the same great football.
Can Riddell do what so few teams have done and go back-to-back? Will a change of coach lead Diggers Rest to a long-sought title? Can Sunbury and Romsey return to the grand final stage?
Can the likes of Macedon, Rupertswood and Melton Centrals close the gap? And can the other teams make a push for finals?
Here’s how the competition’s Melton/Moorabool teams are shaping up after a long preseason.
MELTON CENTRALS
Coach: Brian Wheelahan
2013: seventh, 8-8
The Centrals started with a lot of promise last year, winning their first four matches but only four of the remaining 12, eventually falling behind newcomers Rupertswood and missing the finals. A big bag of recruits will cover losses including Josh Armstrong and Mark Gillman. Greater consistency will be the key to succes this season.
ROCKBANK
Coach: Rob Lynch
2013: 10th, 6-10
The Rams have been rocked by the departure of coach Leigh Sporle in the off-season. Add to that losing ruckman Chris Jones, Matt Krul and Anthony Long and it’s not been the ideal preseason for a team that showed greater competitiveness in 2013. Still, several recruits have come over from the Ballarat league and there was plenty of impressive young talent last year to suggest the Rams will fight for the lower reaches of the top six.
DIGGERS REST
Coach: Shaun Sims
2013: second, 14-2
Seven points were all that stood between the Burras and a long-awaited premiership. The club has parted ways with coach Jamie Elliott and will be led by Diggers stalwart Shaun Sims. The Burras have lost defender Brett Caton, and a number of others. But recruits headed by Matthew Krul from Rockbank and Hume Football League spearhead James Breen will ensure the Burras will be in the thick of it again.
