By Tallon Smith

The Goodooga Magpies have continued their stunning run since returning to the Barwon Darling Rugby League competition last year by defeating the Bourke Warriors for the second year running to the tune of 30 points to 22.

Minor Premiers in 2023, the Magpies hosted the Grand Final, and to the delight of their home fans lifted their second successive trophy, a feat not achieved by the club since they defeated Mungindi and Brewarrina in the 1984 and 1985 Grand Finals.

Goodooga President Uncle Kevin Hooper said the feat was one of great significance to the team and the community.

“I never thought we’d go back to back,” he said.

“We’ve got good support with people turning up to home games.

“People are very keen about football being back up again.

“It’s been 20 years since we had a Grand Final at home.”

Hooper said the game was a close encounter, with both sides playing a good standard of football on the day.

“The game was very good,” he said.

“The first half was pretty solid, Bourke ended up up scoring the first try, and then got another one which made it 10-0.

“We scored [a couple including one] just before half time to make it 10-16 [Bourke’s way].”

Despite trailing at the break, and losing a player to a sin bin with 14 minutes to go Hooper said that the side rallied in the second half and ultimately came away with the title.

“We went into the sheds and knew what we had to do,” he said.

“The boys just did their job, the boys off the bench did well.

“The boys in the back three [also] made a lot of metres.”

Treasurer Karen Wood, who Hooper says is the backbone of the club’s success, said that the side’s preparations were far from ideal due to work commitments.

“They did pretty good, after having only one training session, which was the night before the Grand Final,” she said.

“A lot of the boys work away around the Dubbo and Walgett area, and a few even work in Junee.

“They all jump in the car together and [travel back] for games.”

Goodooga second-rower Samuel Jackson-Bolton won the Ron Gibbs Medal for best on ground in the Grand Final, whilst Jordan Elwood crossed for a hat-trick in the Warriors’ losing effort.

In the Ladies League Tag decider, the Lightning Ridge Redbacks defeated the Walgett Dragons 30-10 in a reverse of last year’s encounter.

In the lower grades, Brewarrina completed the treble, winning the Under 18s 32-4 over the Walgett Dragons, the Under 15s 34-20 over Lightning Ridge, and the Under 15’s League Tag 28-14, also against the Redbacks.