A FOURTH consecutive grand final awaits Diggers Rest after the side produced a powerful second half to sweep aside Broadford in the Riddell District Football League on Saturday.
The Burras led by just three points at the 20-minute-mark of the third quarter in the semi-final before putting their foot down and kicking 10 unanswered goals to put an exclamation mark on the win.
The run on resulted in a lopsided final scoreline of 15.18 (108) to 5.9 (39) at Rockbank’s Ian Cowie Reserve, Broadford not only kept goalless but in fact scoreless in the last quarter.
“In the first half we let ourselves down a bit with just skill errors really and structurally we did some things wrong,” Diggers Rest coach Shaun Sims said.
“After halftime we really settled though and were able to get some better forward entries which made a difference.
“They’re a very big and strong team, Broadford. I thought they got us on the inside at the start but we worked our way into the game and competed really well.
“Then on the outside our run and spread was really good which is what we’re after.”
Diggers coach Shaun Sims assesses his options at the three-quarter-time huddle. Picture: David Crosling.
Defence has been the pillar of the Burras’ game all season and Stephen Ruane, Andrew Tyquin and Patrick Jackson again starred at that end of the ground to ensure Broadford got no easy goals.
At the other end, Cameron McCabe stepped up to kick as many goals as the entire Kangaroos team — five — but there were no shortage of options with Brandon Kilty, Taylor Hine and Jason Williams slotting two majors apiece.
“I was pleased that we got some goals from some of the other guys, not just the key forwards,” Sims said.
The match had a similar trend to Diggers Rest’s qualifying final win over Macedon, Sims’ side powering home with a nine-goal-to-one final quarter in a 19.16 (130) to 8.9 (57) win.
“It was good to finish off the two finals in that way by posting a decent score and making it difficult for the other team to score,” Sims said.
Diggers Rest — which has lost just one game this year — will now focus on preparing for next Sunday’s grand final as it searches for its first premiership since 1993, having lost the past three deciders.
