By Tallon Smith

The Wilcannia Boomerangs are the Outback Rugby League Premiers for 2023 after defeating the Menindee Yabbies 23-22 in the Grand Final at Memorial Oval in Broken Hill on Saturday. 

After a year in recess in 2022 due to the withdrawal of two sides, ironically this year’s Grand Final combatants, the competition could not have asked for a more captivating Grand Final.

Reg Shepherd was the hero for the Boomerangs, scoring a crucial try and nailing the decisive field goal in the match after almost two hours of football between the inseparable sides.

Wilcannia Boomerangs President Uncle Owen Whyman Sr said that the win brought up “a few emotions” for the squad.

“I think winning the Grand Final has brought a lot of people together,” he said.

“I fell to the ground, and I cried, and I said ‘I did it my boys’.

“It was a dream come true.”

Speaking of the dramatic ending to the remarkable encounter, Whyman Sr said that the matchwinner from Reg Shepherd almost didn’t happen until his teammates all screamed “field goal,” to which he responded and won the game.

“Reg [Shepherd] was going to run under the posts,” he said.

“I screamed ‘field goal’ Reg.”

“I thought he was too close, but he took a step back and kicked it.”

Whyman said the match, which went well beyond 80 minutes, saw both sides have many opportunities to win the game, with neither able to strike the knockout blow.

“The Menindee Yabbies, they had plenty of opportunities, in extra time they had two penalty kicks and failed [to make] both, and also had two field goal shots,” he said.

“We got a try [with] a minute to go,” he said.

“Then we went into extra time, and in the first half Menindee scored.

“In the second half [of extra time] Reg [Shepherd] scored to level the scores at 22-all.

“We then went into golden point for 30 minutes.”

Whyman Sr said that the win was extremely emotional, and he dedicated his performance to his late daughter, who was a key figure in the establishment of the Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia, which Whyman is Convenor of.

“I took the squad to the local cemetery on the way before we went to Broken Hill, and I told them all to find a loved one to give them strength,” he said.

“I went straight to my daughter’s grave.

“I told them again in the dressing room to call on that strength.”

Whyman Sr also told Battlers For Bush Footy of the “unbelievable” experience of playing with his sons, Owen Jr, Jamin Whyman-Jones, and Tarelle Jones.

“I turned 50 last month, yet I got to play alongside my three sons,” he said.

“To do that was unbelievable.

Rugby league is the lifeblood of Wilcannia, with footy giving the residents of the small Western NSW town a social outlet, and Whyman Sr spoke of the immense importance of the game to the community.

“The town has two teams in it, and we have a population of 700, we have one pub, one club, two service stations and one shop, the local IGA,” he said.

“It used to be Group 12 out this way.

“I used to play in the 1980s and 90s.

“We had A Grade, Reserves, Under 17s and Under 15s.

“Then Super League came along and stuffed up bush footy.”

The win marks the Boomerangs’ eighth title in the Group 12/Outback competition since 1980.

Following the title win, the next step for the Wilcannia club is to enter a side at the Koori Knockout, to be held in Tuggerah in October, with the club participating for the first time since the 1990s.

Final Score

Wilcannia Boomerangs 23 (Darcy Gyzen, Not available*, Jeremy Auld, Tyrone Kennedy, Reginald Shepherd tries; Reginald Shepherd goal; Reginald Shepherd field goal) defeated Menindee Yabbies 22 (Robert Johnson 2, Steven Newman, Not available* tries; Robert Johnson 2, Not available* goals) at Memorial Oval, Broken Hill, Saturday August 5.

(Player’s name listed as Not available on Play Rugby League website)