It was finals fever in the Riddell District Football Netball League as footballers and netballers took to Sunbury Kangaroos, Wallan and Woodend/Hesket
Football round-up
SUNBURY KANGAROOS
The Under 18.5s featured the undefeated Rupertswood take on Diggers Rest for a place in the second-semi final. A slight breeze and brief sunshine welcomed players.
Diggers Rest kicked with the aid of a slight breeze. The Sharks started strongly with goals to Whelan and Hemburrow to take a five-point lead into the first change.
With Jiaya Mitchell and Bryce Caldone in full flight, the Sharks kicked four goals to one in the second term. It started off with a goal from Burra forward Josh Whatman to level the scores, the closest his team would get for the remainder of the day.
The highlight of the term was back-to-back goals from Rupertswood captain Baillie from around the body in the space of five minutes.
Diggers Rest picked up in the third term with Royal, McMahon and Wallace all lifting. It wasn't enough as the Sharks kicked away to a 32-point lead. The highlight was a brilliant running goal from Mitchell on the boundary.
Whelan kicked his third goal of the game in the opening 90 seconds of the final term to open up a 38-point lead. Diggers Rest sprung to life, taking risks and the game on to kick four goals in seven minutes to cut the margin back to 12 points with 15 minutes to play in the term.
Rupertswood held firm to win by 13-points in a frantic final few minutes.
Undefeated Diggers Rest took on Macedon for a spot in the second-semi. The Cats kicked with the aid of a breeze. Dan Trotta leveled the scores with a goal for the Cats mid-way through the first term, before Chris Payne kicked the first of five goals two minutes later. That was as close as Macedon got for the day.
Rhys Hannan had the ball on a string, Rob Sawyer was physically imposing and Brad Sluggett controlled the middle as Diggers Rest kicked 11 goals to three in the middle terms to open up a 12 goal lead. The Burras won by 79-points. Cat Dan Trotta kicked two goals while the low light was a season ending knee injury to team mate and young gun Todd Grbac.
Dan Markworth was the star for Macedon in the first term of the Senior Qualifying final against Diggers Rest. The former Saint kicked two goals n the opening 11 minutes as the Cats opened up an 11-point lead.
Stuart Clarke kicked a goal off a step from 50 metres out into the wind to close the gap to less than a kick at quarter-time for Diggers Rest.
Brent Tuckey marked everything that went his way for the Burras who opened up a 23-point lead at halftime. Macedon's kick-ins were rarely too advantage, landing in the arms of a Burra more often than not. The halftime break couldn't come quick enough with tensions rising between both teams. Mick Kilty kicked a goal on the halftime siren.
Mick came off the ground with an arm injury in the third term for Diggers Rest, Cooke, Clough and Markworth all sustained injuries for the Cats who ran out of fit bodies as Diggers Rest held a four-goal lead at three-quarter time.
Jason Williams kicked two goals in the third term. One from a mark and 50 metre penalty, before being dumped after kicking the goal and having another shot.
Williams finished the game with five goals as the Burras kicked nine goals in the final term to win by 74-points. McCabe was a stand-out for the winners while Markworth and Waters kicked two for the Cats.
WALLAN
Macedon kicked out to a three-goal lead at quarter-time against Broadford. It looked like the Cats were going to kick away to a big win by the Roos held firm and worked well to stay in the contest, trailing by less than three kicks at the main break.
Joel Mann and Ricky Millar tried hard for the Roos as Macedon edged out to a 26-point lead heading into the final term.
The Cats enjoyed 12 scoring shots in the final term for a return of 3.9 to win the contest and keep its finals hopes alive with a 53-point win. Iaonnis Fitrolakis kicked four goals and Jack Wilson kicked three goals for the winners.
Rupertswood looked set for a spot in the Reserves second-semi final when it kicked five goals to nil in the first term against the sixth placed Riddell outfit.
The Bombers didn't see the script reading that way as they kicked six goals to one in the second term to level the scores at the main break. Matt Sammut was outstanding in the midfield for the Bombers while Alec Goodson (four goals) was a star for the Sharks.
Rupertswood led the Bombers by three-goals heading into the final term thanks to Dean Halliwell before the Bombers kicked four unanswered goals in the final term to win by nine-points and pinch one of the great finals wins in recent seasons. Mackenzie Casson kicked four goals for the winners.
Rupertswood were in the box seat to win its first Senior finals match in the RDFNL. It had taken down opponents Riddell in both meetings between the pair during the season.
Rupertswood kicked the first two goals of the game and the first of the second term to lead by 17-points.
Riddell launched into action with Brian Ruffell in full force. The Bombers kicked six unanswered goals from 10 consecutive scoring shots to lead by 23-points at half-time.
Riddell held firm in the third term as the Sharks could not make the most of the wind, leading by 17-points heading into the last change.
Riddell kicked six goals to two in the final term to advance to the semi-finals and end Rupertswood's finals' dreams again by 43-points.
Ruffell kicked six goals for the winners while Matt Panuccio was outstanding. Liam Cannon kicked two goals for Rupertswood while Billy Cannolo was outstanding.
Sunday
WOODEND/HESKET
It took just 15 seconds for Woodend/Hesket to kick the opening goal of the Under 18.5s First Elimination final against Wallan. Tyson Chapman made a statement with the goal on a hard deck.
The Hawks kicked the first three goals, before Wallan kicked the next three to fit the front thanks to Cam Nickson.
Woodend/Hesket kicked two more goals in a free-flowing affair to lead by 10-points. Blake Laverie, Cody Bowen and Shane Lindsay impressed for the Hawks in the first half as the lead pushed to 16-points at the main break. Wallan was well serviced by Cody Cullinan and, Jack and Will Direen, the latter, the best tall player on the ground.
Cullinan was yellow carded in the opening minute of the third term for Wallan. The Hawks kicked 5.3 to 0.1 to lead by eight goals and end the contest.
The Hawks kicked 13 goals to two in the space of 48 minutes from the point where Wallan surroundered it's two point lead in the second term.
The Hawks kicked seven goals in 12 minutes in the final term to blow the margin out to 112 points, eventually winning by 106 points. The margin did not reflect how tight the game was in the opening three quarters. Liam Bianco kicked six goals and Brandon Nicholls kicked five goals from as many kicks for the winners.
Wallan kicked the first three goals of the game in its 4th v 5th clash with the reigning Reserves premiers, Sunbury Kangaroos. Dale Keenan kicked two first term goals and looked unstoppable.
Sunbury Kangaroos kicked back in the second term with goals to Matt Baird and Garth Ploog before a late goal from Wallan's Layley put the margin out to 22-points at the main break.
With Dwayne Tate winning the ball everywhere, Sunbury mounted a fight back in the second half, reducing the margin to less than a kick and eventually hitting the front late in the final term. A Wallan goal put them up by four-points with two minutes to play.
Dan Ellery was the hero for the Roos with a stunning right foot checkside goal with a minute to play and put the Roos over the line in the best final of the weekend. Steve Bell was a star for the Pies while Keenan kicked four goals. Walsh and Tate kicked two for the winners.
Broadford and Wallan battled out and epic first term in the Senior match. Both teams traded goals in the first term before Adrian Romanyk opened up with the final two goals to give Broadford a 14-point lead.
The highlight was Romanyk soaring for a mark in the goal square, landing on his feet, picked up the ball and goaled in the same motion.
Saladino kicked the opening goal of the second term for the Pies with a brilliant kick that bounced through for a goal. Nolan had three goals to halftime for the Pies while Roo Josh Pound had 1.4 on the board.
A slight lead by the Roos turned into an epic third term. Nolan kicked three goals in the number nine jumper at one end while Romanyk kicked two goals in the same numbered jumper at the other. Nolan had six and Romanyk five goals heading into the last change.
Broadford kicked to a three goal lead, Wallan got the margin back to less than a kick, twice, but could not kick the goal to put them in front.
When Romanyk kicked his sixth goal of the game at the 12 minute mark to extend the lead to a game-high margin four goals, the game was over.
Matt Thomas and Adam Saladino was stars for the Pies while Lance Picioane and Matt Bulluss were two stars for the Roos.
Last Modified on 29/08/2016 10:58