Romsey has been written off many times this season by many keen observers of the Riddell District Football League.
First time was in pre-season when they lost a number of players from last year’s premiership side.
It happened again when they were thrashed by Riddell in the middle of the year, and again after they lost to Diggers Rest in a semi-final two weeks ago.
But, on Sunday, the Redbacks proved the pundits wrong, securing a second successive premiership in their defeat of Diggers Rest, 15.19 (109)-14.15 (99) in front of a record crowd.
Redbacks’ coach Dean Helmers said he didn’t have the same feeling walking onto the ground as he did before last year’s game
“It was not our aim at the start of the year to win the premiership,” he admitted after the new triumph.
“We filled our side this year with lots of local kids. “When I turned up to the game, I thought if we got done, I’d be disappointed but I’d accept it and understand why,” Helmers said. “Last year, there was no way I could afford to lose.”
The Redbacks used the breeze early and led by as much as 39 points in the second quarter, seemingly headed for an easy win.
Then the Burras got going, reducing the margin to six points when Luke Smailes kicked the first goal of the third term.
The Redbacks hit back through an unlikely source: co-captain Steve Burlak.
“You always have to have something up your sleeve,” Helmers said.
“Full credit to our back line; they were doing a good enough job [that I could move Steve forward]. He had an immediate impact and kicked two goals; three goals for the game.”
There was still another twist in the story when the Burras staged another comeback, but the final margin of 10 points was the closest they would get this time.
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“I toyed with the idea of going an extra man in defence, but I had confidence in the boys and we held our nerve to make [the opposition] slow it down a bit,” Helmers said.
“Diggers were really up for that last quarter and didn’t want to die wondering; they threw everything at us. I was asking, ‘How long [to go], how long?’.”
For the Redbacks, the grand final proved they had fielded their best side in a year interrupted by injures and lack of numbers at training. “When they play their best footy, they are hard to stop, and I needed an extra commitment from them to get them to here,” Helmers said.
“It shows the rewards are there if you put in the work. It was a matter of them believing it, and the proof is in the pudding.
“That’s probably the best team we’ve had all year – no disrespect to the others who played earlier.
“We’ve played a lot of kids this year and they’re getting better and better.”
Helmers, who is still weighing up his coaching future, had not only the game to worry about on Sunday but also his heavily pregnant wife Nicola.
“She’s 39 weeks and due today or tomorrow,” Helmers said.
“We were a little bit worried she would go into labour today. All week we’ve been thinking, please don’t go on the grand final day. I was going with her [if she had gone into labour] – I have to spend the rest of my life with her.”
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