FOOTBALL games across the Riddell District Football Netball League (RDFNL) have cemented the senior teams who will play in round one of the finals next weekend.
Round 18 finished with Diggers Rest, Riddell, Wallan, and Melton South in the top four ladder positions, respectively.
Finishing their home and away season in fine form despite having Chris Stewart, Matthew Perri and Cameron Cloke out with injuries, Wallan challenged the Gisborne Giants at Greenhill Reserve in Wallan.
Wallan’s stalwart Michael Mannix started his 350th game in the backline and the team dominated the scoreboard for the first quarter despite two early goals from the Giants stand out player, Bradley Mangan, 40-21.
Effective ball use from Wallan’s tallest, Jake Carlisle helped their ball carriers move the leather to their full forward for John Bellino to quickly score the opening goal of the second quarter. Mangan, for the Giants made his mark midway through the term for one of their two goals, but the Pies lead was menacing, 76-36.
Again, in the third, Wallan dominated the action by adding four amazing back-to-back goals to their bag and the Giants played on gallantly, but for only one major, 113-45.
Wallan were on their merry way when Mannix scored his first goal and the team flocked to his side to celebrate.
Bellino racked up nine for the day including one on the final siren also to earn a best on ground position and to confidently secure the win by 74-points, 148-74.
Jesse Davies, Harley Short, Sean Morris, and Lachlan Inness were also named in the best on ground for Wallan while Joshua Lee, Cameron Freake, Bradley Mangan, Lucas Mousley, Cooper Moore and Samuel Van Taarling were listed for the Giants.
The march towards the Seniors premiership flag continues when Wallan challenge Kyneton at Riddells Creek Recreation Reserve next week at 2.15pm.
Wallan’s coach, Daniel Nolan is excited for the club.
“It’s great to have the seniors and the reserves in the finals,” he said.
“Nash King played in the VFL for Carlton on the weekend, we should get him back this week too.
“He is an exciting young talent and we’re very proud of him.
“The Seniors are playing a great brand of football and as we go into the final series, we believe that our best is good enough.”
OKRFM commentators David Dougherty and Matt Arnott along with Mark Perrott are delighted to see local teams competing in the upcoming finals series.
“I can’t remember when we’ve covered a season where two local teams [Kilmore and Wallan] have made it into the finals,” Mr Dougherty said.
Over at Tony Clark Reserve, Macedon challenged Melton Centrals.
An early but inaccurate surge from the Blues resulted in four behinds and the Cats home crowd was relieved when they finished in front at the first change, 15-4.
Melton Centrals continued to be plagued by errors in the second quarter, while Macedon increased their lead with four goals, 40-8.
The third term had drastic consequences for Melton, who scored just one goal from Jake Armistead, 75-15.
Going into the final term with a 60-point lead, it was all uphill for the Blues.
Macedon finished in front by 69 points, 107-38 and are one to watch in the upcoming finals with Michael Rutledge as their leading goal kicker with six, and Jason Cooke with four. Bradley Cooke bagged two, and Brodie Hoyne, Charlie Ozane, Charlie Rossetti and James Wright each kicked one.
Over at Romsey Park, Woodend-Hesket came to play the Redbacks who were too good and finished in front by 14 points, 82-68.
At Kyneton, Melton South claimed victory with a 24-point win, 51-75.
Lancefield played at home against Diggers Rest and surprised the league with their second win of the season when they finished in front by three points at Lancefield Park, 71-68.
Netball
At Greenhill Reserve, Wallan won the day with a three-goal win against the Giants, 45-42.
Maeve Donegan scored 34 of those with Rebekah Konstantopoulos contributing 11.
It was another close game between Macedon and Melton which resulted in another win for the Cats, 44-41.
Romsey were confident all day in their game against Woodend-Hesket and also racked up an amazing win at home, 53-40.
The Kyneton Tigers celebrated a win when they outplayed Melton South, 103-20 and, going into the finals in fine form, Lancefield defeated Diggers Rest, 57-48. It means both Wallan and Lancefield will be represented in the upcoming A grade finals series, which starts next week.
