IT was a disappointing day for the region’s Riddell District Football Netball League teams, with no wins from six games across football and netball.
In the football competition, Wallan was dealt a blow after coming into its game in hot form, losing to Riddell.
The Magpies were never truly in the game from the outset, with Riddell dominating the opening quarter with five goals to no score to leave the Magpies wanting at the first change, 34-0.
Riddell continued on its merry way in the second term, although Wallan did hit the scoreboard for the first time during the afternoon. Irrespective of that, its defence simply had no answer for Riddell’s spearhead, Dean Galea, who had kicked five goals by the half time break as the Bombers led 67-15.
Galea added two of the first four goals for the Bombers in the third quarter to take his personal tally to seven, while Riddell was now leading by 76 points.
Wallan desperately needed to respond to ensure the margin wouldn’t get any bigger than that, and to its credit, Matthew Perri was the main avenue to a response, kicking three goals to at least ensure the Magpies weren’t facing a mammoth loss. Regardless, it was still 63 points at the final change, 99-36.
The Magpies left their run far too late. While they dominated the second half of the quarter, the Bombers were able to casually rest players.
A quirk of the day meant that Cameron Cloke and Perri had combined for all 11 of their goals right until the end of the game, where a late Victor Micallef goal ensured the Magpies would have three goalscorers for the afternoon.
The Magpies’ 12.13 (85) to 18.10 (118) loss felt a little flattering given how much Riddell had led by for much of the afternoon, but Wallan at least had something to take into another big key game next week against ladder-leader Diggers Rest away from home.
Cloke kicked six goals and Perri five, while Patrick Mahoney, Corey Viani, Brodie Gilchrist, Cloke, Perri and Nash King were all named in the best players.
At Lancefield Park, the Tigers were left to rue a poor first half which left them with far too much work to do, and despite dominating much of the second half, fell by 35 points to Woodend-Hesket.
The Hawks were dominant in the first half, kicking seven goals to one in the first quarter to lead by 40 points, 46-6, and then added another four goals to just three behinds in the second term to leave the second half as one where both teams would play out time, with the Hawks leading 71-9.
Lancefield, to its credit, responded well in the third term, and added four goals to one behind to at least give itself some belief going into the final term as it looked for a good finish, trailing 34-72 at the last change.
Another four goals in the final term to three meant the Tigers took the final quarter points as well, but still 35 points in arrears, 9.4 (58) to 14.9 (93).
Walter King, Ned O’Connell, Leroy Ristevski, Thomas Sayers, Adam Miles and Max Taylor were all named in the best for Lancefield.
Romsey faced an early elimination final against Macedon at Tony Clarke Reserve, where the Redbacks are now hoping for a miracle after losing by 28 points.
Macedon got the jump in the opening term to kick three goals to one, leading 20-8 at the opening change.
Romsey, to its credit, responded in the second term, and kicked three goals to two to close the margin to five points at the main break, trailing 27-32.
The third quarter was goal-for-goal in an entertaining affair, one which saw Macedon retain the lead going into the final change, leading 55-47.
Romsey needed a big final term with the season on the line, but it was not forthcoming, with Macedon instead kicking five goals to two to win 13.11 (89) to 9.7 (61).
The Redbacks, with just one game to go in their home-and-away season, are most likely going to have to rely on Macedon losing its final game to Melton Centrals or needing Melton South or Kyneton to lose their last two games, to make the finals.
It was also a disappointing day for the Magpies, Tigers and Redbacks in the netball competition, with all three teams lowering their colours.
The Magpies lost to Riddell by six goals, 47-41, leaving their finals chances in a precarious position as they hold sixth by just half a game from Melton Centrals.
Romsey are out of the running following an 11-goal loss to Macedon, 61-50, with the Redbacks six points out of the top six with just one game left in their season.
Lancefield also lost to netball frontrunners Woodend-Hesket, 53-36, but the Tigers will have a golden opportunity to book their spot in the finals with clashes against bottom two teams Melton South and Diggers Rest on the run home.
