Long droughts were broken in a huge day of grand final action at the Group 4 rugby league finals in Moree yesterday.
Moree Boars acted out their billing as a “second half side” when they surged home in the final 40 minutes against Boggabri Kangaroos to win Saturday’s First Grade Grand Final 40-18.
The Boars were down 14-12 at halftime and then 18-12 six minutes into the second half when Boggy centre Robert Doolan scored out wide.
However, the Boars rallied on the back of a brilliant try from winger Jake Tighe in the 53rd minute.
The Boars had not won a G4 first grade title since 2002 when they beat West Lions 34-18 under captain-coach Tony Murray at Burt Jovanovich Oval.
It was their fifth G4 premiership after wins in 1988-89 (captain-coach John Kirkwood), 1999 (Mark Ryan) and 2002 (Tony Murray).
It also came after losing last year’s GF to North Tamworth 26-16 and ended a string of eight Grand Final wins for the Bears, starting in 2014, and including two years where Covid forced the game into recess.
For Michael Watton it was a rich reward and relief.
“I’m quite emotional,” he told G4 Media whilst holding back tears after the presentation ceremony.
“Just can’t string the words together at the moment. I came here to do a job and have done it. So proud of the boys.”
Second Grade
In second grade, Werris Creek Magpies won their first reserve grade premiership in 40 years when they held off Dungowan Cowboys to win 24-20.
The Creek had last won a second grade title in 1986, club president Darby Sherlock confirmed with club legend Ron Dellar.
It didn’t start well for the Magpies though with Dungowan centre Braydon Johnson scoring in the third minute.
Bailey Wilson scored Werris Creek’s first try six minutes later before Dustin Prince took a brilliant bomb to score out wide for Werris Creek. Tyler Swift also caught another bomb in the 31st minute to put Jarrod Tickle over in the corner and what was a 14-4 halftime lead.
Braydon Johnson’s second try clawed the Cowboys back to 14-8.
Dungowan fought back again and after Evan Coombes crashed over in the 19th minute Malaki Johnson scored to even it up in the 22nd minute of the second half.
Pat Strong almost gave Dungowan the lead when he was tackled into touch in-goal but it was another winger who stole the show.
Werris Creek’s Sam Tickle sprinted down the eastern touchline to break the deadlock and what was the winning play, and picked up Player of the Grand Final as well.
Under 18’s
In the Under 18’s, Dungowan Cowboys withstood a gallant Kootingal surge to run away with their Whitehaven Coal Group 4 Under 18 Grand Final 40-10.
Kootingal lost captain and inspirational lock Blake Russell just 10 mintes into the match with his side trailing 6-4. Russell suffered a dislocated knee and was transported to hospital.
Not long after they lost another of their influential players, Taj Bone, but still managed to go to the halftime break down 12-10 after tries from Jahdiel Landsborough and Cooper Anderson.
However, the loss of the two players proved too big a disruption and the Cowboys raced in five second half tries.
Man of the match Braydon Allan and halfback Jordan Hamlin constructed a lot of the mayhem while hooker/lock Lief Dietrich was another key player, scoring a brilliant try and having a hand in a few others.
Ladies League Tag
NORTH Tamworth rebounded from a major semi-final loss to Kootingal to beat their Tamworth rivals 20-nil in Saturday’s Whitehaven Coal Group 4 Ladies League Tag Grand Final at Moree’s Boughton Oval.
Kimberley Resch’s four tries led the Bearettes to a dominant win.
Named Player of the Grand Final she thanked her teammates and added: “Everyone was a player of the grand final.”
Norths dominated the first 15 minutes of the game, forcing five line drop outs by the Roosterettes.
Kootingal did well to hold out but when they were forced to dropkick again from under their posts North Tamworth’s Dhalara Knox made them pay.
She caught the kick then ran to her left to elude tags and put Resch into a hole for Kimberley to score.
Five minutes later and Kimbereley was over again to help the Bearettes to a 10-nil halftime lead.
Try as they might Kootingal couldn’t ford the North defence and when they dropped an Amy Barraclough bomb in the 17th minute of the second half Kimberley sped through a gap for her third try and three minutes later she sealed the game when Leica Le Brocq’s smart move back to the blind side enabled Kimbereley to dash over for her fourth.
That she played was a minor miracle, coach Damien Kenniff told G4 Media.
A left knee injury looked like robbing her of a GF start.
“She turned up at training on Thursday night and I thought she was there for moral support,” Damien Kenniff said.
“Then she ran through, got the ball and tagged. Then she came up to me after training and said she was good to go!
“She’s an amazing person.”
He said his whole squad excelled and believes Leica Le Brocq might be the “toughest person I’ve ever coached”
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