By Tara Murray
It was a case of deja vu for Riddell District Football League interleague coach Matt Power during Saturday’s AFL Country Championship match against Nepean Football League.
Last year, RDFL led at three-quarter time by 18 points only to fall a point short against Alberton.
On Saturday, the RDFL led by 12 points at three-quarter time before the Neapan Football League hit the front late in the last quarter.
“It felt like last year,” Power said. “I thought the gods were against us again.”
This time there was one more twist in the story, a Jack Mills goal with a minute to go putting RDFL back in front by three points.
“We knew how much time was left,” Power said. “We didn’t play the last minute well at all.”
It didn’t matter as RDFL won 15.9 (99) – 13.18 (96). The result was the biggest upset of the country championships, with 29th-ranked RDFL defeating 13th-ranked Nepean.
The two teams only played each other because their scheduled opposition pulled out of the competition.
Power said Nepean had looked to take the game away from the RDFL on more than one occasion.
“The first quarter, they were clean with the ball and we struggled to stay with them,” Power said. “The work rate of the boys was pretty good. Once we got into the game, we took control in the second quarter.
“They came at us again in the third quarter and late in the fourth but we held them out. It was credit to our boys.”
Corey Viani was awarded the best afield medal for the RDFL, while Kris Bardon won the Nepean medal.
“Everyone played well,” Power said. “All the bench players came on to the field and did their role.
“Mills got what he deserved with kicking the winning goal, Jase Williams was dangerous across half-back.”
