By Tara Murray
Diggers Rest peaked at the right time to claim its second Riddell District Football League premiership in three years.
For much of the year, the Burras sat behind the ladder leaders, despite not being beaten by more than two goals.
A third-placed finish gave them the perfect run-in to finals. But finals were anything but perfect – Diggers Rest had a big win, its worst performance of the season and a thriller, on its way to a grand final showdown against Riddell.
The Burras started slow, but once they hit the front they stayed there.
Riddell threw everything at the Burras early in the last quarter, before Mathew Medcraft and playing coach Jamie Lobb kicked the sealers.
The Burras won 9.12 (66)-6.9 (45).
Lobb said there had been a feeling all season that they could make it back to the grand final.
He said having nearly a full squad was an added bonus.
“We set ourselves,” he said. “Our whole training this season has been about playing here.
“It’s nice when it pays off.”
It took the Burras a quarter and half to get going.
Their run coincided with the Bombers being a man down, with first James Nolan and then Dylan Tarczon sent from the field.
While Nolan returned, Tarczon’s day was done just before half-time.
“I got a little more confident when I knew he [Tarczon] wasn’t coming back on in the second half,” Lobb admitted.
“I think we were working our way back into the game at this stage and it was a bonus for us.
“It allowed us to put the margin on which was hard to get back. I don’t think we did make the most of it though.”
After taking the margin out to a game high 25 points at three-quarter time, the Burras were expecting one last hurrah from the Bombers.
Lobb said it showed real character from the boys to be able to respond.
“Half way through the last quarter it could have gone either way,” he said.
“We showed the last two weeks that we’ve dug deep when we’ve needed to and just found the way.”
It wasn’t much of a surprise that Medcraft stood up late when needed.
Lobb said Medcraft was one of the few players they had targeted during the off season.
He said Medcraft, like all of their recruits, was able to play on big grounds such as Clarke Oval where the grand final was held.
“His experience on this ground and knowing the finals would be here [was the main reason] and it’s paid off,” Lobb said.
“He’s really good and he gets the boys up and about. He took a little while to get going, but once he is going, he’s a hard person to stop.”
Skipper Tom Gleeson was awarded the Doug McIntyre best on ground medal.
Thomas Taylor was awarded the AFL Victoria Country Medal.
Lobb, who kicked two goals, said everyone did their bit on the day, which is what got them across the line.
The first year coach said the win didn’t feel too different to winning a premiership as a player.
“I still feel more like a player than a coach,” he said.
“It’ll probably sink in later on and I’ll go and enjoy it with the boys.
“I’m just the player who gets to stand up there and talk to them at the breaks.”
The senior premiership capped off a good day for the Burras footballers, with the reserves also claiming the premiership.
Lobb said claiming two premierships was a reward to everyone who had put in the hard work across the club throughout the season.
For more pictures, CLICK HERE .
Fore more on the grand final:
www.starweekly.com.au/sports/riddell-fails-to-take-the-game-up-to-diggers-rest/
