By Tallon Smith

The Narooma Devils have proven many of their doubters over the course of the season wrong, qualifying for the Group 16 Finals Series in fifth position despite a 34-28 loss to the Tathra Sea Eagles on Sunday.

Despite only fielding Under 18s and First Grade in 2023, and with their depth tested over the course of the season, the Devils did just enough in the last few weeks against Bega and Batemans Bay to hold on to fifth spot, warding off a challenge from Cooma, who levelled them on 14 competition points following their 28-26 win over Bombala on Saturday.

Narooma President Jaimie Wright said “it’s absolutely great” for his club to be playing finals football in 2023.

“The boys worked really hard for it,” he said.

“We’ve got the team to go a little bit further [than the Elimination Final].

Wright believes that his team has the ability to challenge the top sides on their day, and is confident that if they play their best football, they’re in with a shot at greatness this season.

“I think we’re equal with Merimbula, Tathra and Jindabyne [Snowy River],” he said, of the three sides immediately above them.

“But the biggest task [in Group 16] is beating Eden with [Terry] Campese and [Adrian] Purtell.

“I’d like to say yes [we could challenge them], but they’re the team to beat.”

It has also been a successful season for the Devils’ Under 18’s, with the Narooma side finishing in third place, and providing something for the club to look forward to in the way of succession planning.

“The Under 18s play on Saturday this week against Merimbula,” Wright said.

“We’ll be there at the end of the year [in both grades] hopefully.”

The Devils’ opponents in the Elimination Finals, the Snowy River Bears, suffered a 40-18 loss in the final round to the Minor Premiers Eden Tigers. After defeating Eden 34-14 in the two sides’ first clash of the season, the Bears were no match for the Tigers away from home, and will settle for fourth place despite threatening to finish higher earlier this season.

Meanwhile, the Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs will host the Tathra Sea Eagles in the Qualifying Final after narrowly missing out on the Minor Premiership and the week off to the Eden Tigers on points differential.

After having the bye in the final competition round, the Bulldogs will go into the game fresh, whilst Tathra are coming off their aforementioned hard-fought win over Narooma.

Eden have the bye into the Major Semi Final next weekend.

Cover Photo: The Narooma Devils’ 2023 First Grade team (Supplied: Jaimie Wright)