The Riddell District Football League just held off the Central Highlands Football League in a tight WorkSafe AFL Victoria Community Championships match on Saturday.
The RDFL side travelled to Ballarat for the match and came home with the silverware, but they didn’t have it all their own way, with the CHFL fighting all the way and the game going down to the final whistle.
Despite being outscored in the final quarter, the RDFL held on to win 9.13 (67)-9.10 (64).
RDFL coach Arron Bray said he was confident that his side could get the job done.
Several players picked in the original squad pulled out, with the league having to add players.
“They bought in 100 per cent and I’m always confident with the calibre of players in the league,” Bray said.
The RDFL has played in several close interleague matches in recent years and Saturday was no different.
Bray said his players had chances to break the game open, but the CHFL kept coming.
“I thought we had the ascendency early on, but we couldn’t get a break on them,” Bray said.
“They came back at us and led by eight points at half-time.
“We put it on the midfielders at half-time and we took the game to another level in third.
“We didn’t put enough scoreboard pressure on, but slowly took it away from them.”
With plenty of onballers in the squad, the RDFL had the legs to ensure the win.
Bray said the one concern about their side was the lack of key forwards.
Rupertswood’s Todd Podolczak was the only notable goalkicker in the team and the only player from the league’s top 10 goalkickers included.
Bray need not have worried – Podolczak kicked six goals and was awarded the best-on-ground medal.
“We gave him the 50 to play in with plenty of space,” Bray said.
“We kept saying to him to lead up, as ‘Gunna’ [full-back Mark Gunnell] wouldn’t be able to go with him.
“He’s pretty quick across the ground and there’s not many defenders his height who can stay with him.”
The other standouts for the RDFL were Tom Waters, Ayden Tessari, Brent Swallow and Shaun Stewart.
Bray said that every player did the job they were assigned.
It was the third straight year in which the CHFL has lost its interleague match by less than a goal.
The under-18 interleague match between the two sides went to extra time with the RDFL getting a 12.12 (84)-9.7 (61) win.
Tara Murray
