Gunnedah Bulldogs upset Boggabri Kangaroos to regain the Boyde Campbell Cup when they stunned the home side with their 30-14 Whitehaven Coal Group 4 success at Jubilee Oval today.
The Bulldogs were always in control too, scoring a try in the 12th minute through talented backrower Aidan Davis and then posted three more through Tom Randall (22nd), Keegan Loughrey (24th) and Toby Randall (36th) to go to the break 22-nil ahead.
Boggabri did fight back to post three tries through Iliasa Kalokalodrau (48th), Robert Doolan (60th) and Nic Millar (65th) but the Roos fell away at the back end of the second half with some mistakes as Gunnedah closed out the game with a last-minute touchdown by David Smith.
The Bulldogs had been in a position to win recent games against Kootingal and werris Creek but threw those chances away with second half errors.
Not so Saturday.
“The first half was the best we’ve played this year,” Gunnedah coach Sean Hayne told Group 4 Media.
“And we defended a lot better this week. We were able to defend our errors. We did make some errors but we made them at the right end of the field.
“It’s been a tough year for us so it’s always great to win and a local derby as well. I thought we showed a lot of character today.”
Hayne said backrower Aidan Davis was outstanding for the Bulldogs.
“I thought he was a standout and he did get our players player. He was excellent on the left edge but a few of the boys also had their best games of the season too.”
Boggabri coach Shane Rampling was hugely disappointed of his side’s performance describing is as “pretty ordinary”.
“Our first half was embarrassing,” he said of a 22-l deficit at the major break.
“They (Gunnedah) ran harder, tackled harder. They were switched on and out-enthused us. We had a couple of players drop out before the game but that was no excuse. Gunnedah just wanted it more. If we didn’t concede that try just before half-time, we might have been a chance but we still had to play some footy. We did that and got back to 22-14 with 15 to go but did some silly things, dropped the ball and gave away some silly penalties. We didn’t get in the grind and an arm wrestle. We’ve got to regroup now for Narrabri next week.”
Werris Creek played smarter in the second half to slog out a wet 46-6 win over Narrabri in their Whitehaven Coal Group 4 First Grade clash at David Taylor Park today.
The Magpies converted a 20-6 halftime lead after tries to Mitch Doring, Nate Follington, Tyler Swift and Tyren Cloake.
Narrabri’s Aiden Butcher had hit back with a piece of skill and luck, grubbering through for Creek fullback to spill and allow Butcher to run through dive to gather the loose ball and then slither over the line in one movement.
The Blues had played well the first half with the likes of Feliti Mateo, Jeff Harvey, Rob Condron and Gus Smith all combining to give the visitors a foothold but the Magpies swooped early in the second half to lay the path to a crucial win.
The Magpies scored in the second minute when Kaidyn Saunders charged over following a good Riley leonard break from a scrum.
Five minutes later and Tyren Cloake also scored for the Magpies after Dylan porter’s neat short kick into the in-goal.
Ahead 30-6 the Magpies added further tries to Riley Leonard, Ronin Hadden and Mitch Doring to complete a big win.
Magpie coach Dave Stewart was happy with the win but not so praiseworthy of the first 40 minutes.
“We weren’t real smart,” Stewart told G4 Media.
“Had a chat at halftime and came out and played much better in the conditions. Got our power game going and played much smarter. Full credit to Narrabri though, they kept coming at us and never stopped.
He thought his side “competed” much better.
Tyler Swift was a standout for the Magpies, the centre making many metres with plenty of breaks.
Nathan Vaisey also excelled and was named the Magpies’ players player.
“Cody (Tickle) led from the front and Wes (Riley) was great too. Dylan controlled around the ruck but Wes was just great. He can play anywhere, play anywhere from wing to hooker. He’s just a real good footballer.”
Narrabri coach Glenn Collins had an unusual day. Arriving at the ground he watched as the Blues had just nine men for second grade and kitted up to play close to a full game for the seconds, who lost 44-12. They fought on with 11 men for the rest of that game.
“It was a tough day for us,” Glenn Collins told G4 Media.
“We had six drop out today.
“The reserve grade tried their hearts out. I was very proud of them and the first grade. Some of the players (who pulled out) had legitimate reasons but I was proud of the boys who turned up and had a go.”
Rob Condron, Angus Smith, Jeff Harvey and Feliti Mateo were outstanding for the Blues. Harvey and Mateo charging the ball up all game for the visitors.
“They are good footballers,” Collins said.
Kootingal Roosters won their fourth game in succession with a 48-nil victory over Wee Waa Panthers at Cook Oval wee Waa on Sunday to sit outright second on the Whitehaven Coal First Grade Table.
They trail unbeaten Moree by five points but are a point ahead of Werris Creek, who moved to third with their 46-6 win over Narrabri on Sunday.
Reigning premiers North Tamworth have slipped to fourth, just a point ahead of Boggabri.
The Roosters were also able to give some young players such as Pat Hoffman and Damian Johnson good game time against Wee Waa too.
“Damo made his first grade debut,” Roosters coach Mark Sheppard said of Johnson.
“He went well.”
The Roosters were steered to their nine-try victory by Anders Glew, Jack Rumsby and McKye Tucknott-Davis.
Glew and Tucknott-Davis both scored try-doubles.
“They had big games,” Sheppard said of the pair and fullback Rumsby.
“McKye got our players player award and club three points.”
The exciting little winger was always a danger with his runs through the middle of the park.
The Roosters did suffer a few injuries thought with Johnson and Johnny Seabrook hit with ankle injuries while Marshall Field went to hospital with a dislocated elbow and shoulder.
“Other than that we were pretty good,” Sheppard added.
“We’ve just got to work on putting two good halves together,” he said of a side that now has the bye.
Wee Waa co-coach Jacob Hayne thought the Panthers played well in the wet conditions.
“It was a tough day,” Hayne told G4 Media.
“There was quite a lot of dropped ball and errors from both sides.”
The wet conditions made it hard on the Panthers who were best served by prop Mitchell Hamilton.
“He was our players player,” Hayne said of the prop.
“He was a standout. Had plenty of carries, took it up well and got a few offloads .”
Toby Knight was another to impress after gaining a doctors clearance to play following some recent head knocks.
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