Diggers Rest ended Wallan’s unbeaten start to the Riddell District Football League season on Saturday.
In probably their best performance for the season, the Burras showed they can’t be discounted in the premiership race.
The Burras led from start to finish and a win never looked in doubt, as they won 13.18 (96)-11.8 (74).
Burras playing coach Jamie Lobb said it was a good performance as the side approaches full strength.
“It’s easily the strongest side we’ve had on the park all season,” he said.
“We’re close to full strength and we executed well. It’s always a bonus having the wind in the first quarter and we should have been further ahead.
“I thought we had wasted the wind, having wasted some good scoring opportunities.
“We seem to play well against the wind in the second quarter and were also good in the third quarter.
“We fell away in the fourth a little bit, but we had eight changes from the week before and ran out of legs.”
Despite having a 48-point lead at three-quarter time, Lobb said they knew that the Magpies would come after them in the final quarter.
He said they just stuck to what they had been doing.
“We knew their last quarter was their strongest,” he said. “We had a game style to play for the whole game and we tried not to change it too much.
“We stuck with what we wanted to do for three quarters of the last quarter.
“They kicked a couple of goals late which flattered them.”
The Burras shared the goals around, with five players kicking two goals each.
Lobb said Stuart Clarke and Sean Egan were the standouts in a real team performance.
It was a big day on and off the field for the Burras. Tom Gleeson and Stephen Ruane both celebrated game 200, while several of the club’s premiership sides held reunions at the ground.
Lobb said it was always pleasing to win on such a special occasion for the club.
The win has the Burras fourth on the ladder with a 5-2 record. They have played one less game than the other sides in the top six.
Lobb said every win was crucial in the fight for a top six spot.
The Burras this week face Lancefield.
The Burras have this season put the side’s towards the lower end of the ladder to the sword, but Lobb said it did not matter who they play, they stick to the plan.
In other results, Macedon proved too strong for Melton Centrals in tough conditions at Arnolds Creek Reserve. The Cats won 9.5 (59)-3.10 (28).
Rockbank proved no match for Romsey, losing 21.24 (150)-2.2 (14). Braedon Billing was named the Rams’ best.
Riddell made easy work of Lancefield, winning 22.20 (152)-1.1 (7).
Rupertswood returned to the top of the ladder with a 32.20 (212)-1.2 (8) victory. Todd Podolczak kicked nine goals. The Sunbury Kangaroos upset Woodend-Hesket, winning 8.7 (55)-5.9 (39).
