Kootingal Roosters earned a berth in this Saturday’s Whitehaven Coal Group 4 Under 18 Preliminary Final with a 32-nil win over North Tamworth at Boggabri’s Jubilee Oval on Sunday.
Dungowan Cowboys had won a Grand Final the previous day at Moree when they beat Werris Creek 26-14.
Zane Hyson’s two tries were part of good Dungowan effort while the Creek have a second chance when they play Kootingal at David Taylor Park this Saturday.
They will face a good Kootingal side that performed well for coach Aaron Cotter.
“It was a good performance,” Aaron Cotter said after Sunday’s Minor Semi-Final win.
“They’ve got a bit in them. They are an awesome little side.”
He thought Jayden Bullock “was excellent on our left edge but everyone stepped up.”
He believes the side is starting to fulfil its potential.
That the North Tamworth Bears have potential is undeniable with many of the side 16.
“They are very under-developed men,” said co-coach Jermaine Walford.
“They wear their hearts on their sleeves. They are unbelievable. It’s extraordinary they have made the semi-finals. Watch out next year.”
That the Bears even had an Under 18 side is mainly through the hard work of Walford and co-coach Danny Perkins.
“We didn’t have an Under 18’s,” Walford said.
“Haven’t had one since 2019.”
PRELIMINARY FINALS – SATURDAY, AUGUST 31
David Taylor Park, Werris Creek.
First Grade: WERRIS CREEK v BOGGABRI; Second Grade: MOREE v WERRIS CREEK; Under 18: WERRIS CREEK v KOOTINGAL; Ladies League Tag: NORTH TAMWORTH v WERRIS CREEK.
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