Group 20 Wrap: Yenda win high-scoring affair against Yanco-Wamoon

By Tallon Smith

The Yenda Blueheelers have moved one step closer to the all-important fifth position on the Group 20 competition ladder with a 44-40 win over the Yanco-Wamoon Hawks at the JDP Logistics Yanco Sportsground on Sunday afternoon.

With a host of stars returning for the Hawks, including star hooker Elwyn Ravu, the Yanco side were far more competitive than recent weeks, forcing the Blueheelers to fight right until the final whistle for the two competition points in one of the games of the season.

Yenda opened the scoring through Mailelaumomo Ngu, before Jack Cooper hit back with the first of his three tries for a 6-all scoreline after ten minutes of play.

Isaiah Little-Buerckner and Elwyn Ravu each traded converted tries, seeing the match reach 12-all, before Cooper crossed for his second to see the Hawks take an 18-12 lead.

Yenda answered with two quick tries, with Jyden Smith grabbing the first of his two, and after a penalty goal right on half-time, the Blueheelers took a 26-18 lead into the break.

Rowan Matthews crossed just after half-time to close the gap for the maroon and whites, but this was quickly cancelled out by a second to Smith.

The Yenda side built on their lead further through tries to Feata Tauaneai and Trey Eldridge, seeing the scoreline reach 40-22 with less than a quarter of the match remaining.

Buoyed by their loyal home support, Yanco-Wamoon then clicked into gear, with Cooper crossing to complete his hat-trick, followed by Matthews, to see the Hawks get back to within six points at 40-34.

Knowing they needed another try to have any sense of security heading into the final ten minutes, Mailelaumomo Ngu answered the Hawks fightback with a crucial score for Yenda, extending the lead to 44-34.

The Hawks crossed again three minutes from time to set up a grandstand finish, but ultimately it was the Blues who took the chocolates 44-40 in one of the most high-scoring, frenetic and close encounters in Group 20 this year.

Yenda Coach James Dole said that he was happy to come away with the win against the vastly improved Hawks, with the result crucial for his side’s top five hopes.

“The first half was back and forth, an arm wrestle,” he said.

“In the second half we came out of a cannon and scored a few quick tries.

“Bernie Simpson and Rowan Matthews are pretty quick, and they scored a couple of tries at the end.

“It was a very physical and fast game.”

Dole said that the heavy loss to the Griffith Black and Whites the week prior didn’t discourage the side, with the team still improving each week as they push for a finals position.

“I don’t think the scoreline represented how we went last week,” he said.

“We didn’t focus on the scoreline.”

Speaking on the upcoming clash with the Hay Magpies, which will decide who snags 5th spot and faces West Wyalong in the Elimination Final, Dole said the Blueheelers have a lot to play for.

“I think it’s a bit of a grudge match,” he said.

“We should’ve given it to them at Yenda [in our first meeting].

“All things considered, after we had Chris Latu and [others] walk out, we set the goal of making finals.

“That was the benchmark, the standard we set.

“We’ve got one job to do in front of us this year, you could say we are playing our Grand Final this weekend to meet that goal.”

Meanwhile, Yanco-Wamoon Captain-Coach Kane Hammond said that he was proud of his side for taking it to the Blueheelers despite the disrupted and injury-riddled campaign his side has faced in 2023.

“Well it’s always entertaining when there’s more points scored than minutes,” he said.

“It was one of those games where at one point we were down, but it felt like if we got a string of possession we’d score.

“We clung onto that hope all day and nearly pulled off a miracle.”

Hammond said that one of the biggest differences was having most of the team’s best 13 back on the field, particularly in the forward pack.

“Elwyn [Ravu] was great in the middle,” he said

“We had Elwyn, Matt [Goodwill] and Billy [Ingram], our three best forwards in the middle, which made a huge difference.

“Jack [Cooper] and Rowan [Matthews] also played really good, they finished off a couple of tries.”

Around the Grounds – Black and Whites v Hay

The Griffith Black and Whites strengthened their grip on the Minor Premiership by way of a 42-16 win over the Hay Magpies at Solar Mad Stadium on Sunday.

In a match where both sides had a lot to play for, with the Griffith side chasing the minor title and Hay looking to remain two points clear of Yenda in fifth, with Black and Whites maintained control, despite a gallant effort from the Magpies.

Seven individual tryscorers crossed for the Black and Whites in the match, with Naashon Mataora getting a double, whilst Jeremaia Nakete also scored a brace for the Magpies.

Darlington Point-Coleambally v West Wyalong

The DPC Roosters’ First and Reserve Grade squads in their ‘Autism Wellbeing’ jerseys (*Image: Supplied by Kurt Longford*)

In the final First Grade game at the Darlington Point Sportsground, the DPC Roosters completed a 28-0 shutout of the West Wyalong Mallee Men in a brutal display of power heading into finals.

Sam Storey crossed for a double in the victory, which sees DPC remain in the hunt for second place and a home final, albeit in the unlikely event Leeton lose to Yanco-Wamoon next weekend and the Roosters overcome first-placed Griffith Black and Whites.

However, the main story of the day was the organiser of the club’s Autism Round, Kurt Longford, crossed for a try in DPC Reserve Grade’s 24-10 loss to the Mallee Men.

Kurt’s hard work and determination to ensure that the concept got off the ground did not go unnoticed by Battlers For Bush Footy, and we would like to congratulate him and the DPC club on the successful organisation of the day, which both raised awareness of autism within the local community and funds for the Ricky Stuart Foundation via jersey auctions.

Leeton v Tullibigeal-Lake Cargelligo

The Leeton Greenies maintained second position on the Reserve Grade competition ladder by defeating the Tullibigeal-Lake Cargelligo United Sharks 28-12 at the Leeton No.1 Oval.

The result sees TLU slip to fourth place after West Wyalong’s win over DPC elevated them one point clear on the table.

No First Grade game was played after TLU forfeited mid-week.

League Tag

In the League Tag encounter, the Yenda Blueheelers scored a big win over the Yanco-Wamoon side 54-0.

Yenda remain in fourth with the victory, while Yanco-Wamoon continue to put in spirited performances week in, week out, with the scoreline not reflective of the effort of the girls in Maroon and White.

In the other fixtures over the weekend, West Wyalong remain undefeated after a 36-12 win over DPC, Leeton defeated TLU 38-4, and the Griffith Black and Whites and Hay drew 6 all.