By Tallon Smith

The Queanbeyan Roos have won their first Canberra Raiders Cup title since 2013 after a 34-6 defeat of the Tuggeranong Bushrangers in the Grand Final at Seiffert Oval in Queanbeyan on Sunday.

After trading blows all year across the regular season and the finals, with the Bushrangers getting the better of the boys in maroon and white in both their second meeting of the regular season and the Major Semi Final, the Roos had the last laugh, taking out the greatest prize on offer and bragging rights for the next twelve months.

The Roos dominated the contest from start to finish, with Kaine Pagura scoring a Grand Final hat trick in an incredible performance, while his teammates Jesse Dent, Jake Kiely and Bayley Hitchcock joined him on the scoresheet to complete the Queanbeyan side’s six try tally, hile a lone try to Jack Davison avoided a whitewash for Tuggeranong.

Queanbeyan Roos prop Aidan Woods said the Final “was a tough game” despite the massive scoreline, 

“From the start we didn’t let up, we were pretty dominant,” he said.

“[But] it was a pretty physical game.”

Speaking on the rivalry, and getting the win over their fierce rivals in Tuggeranong, Woods said that it felt “good” to win the most meaningful of their matches in 2023.

“For me it was more relieving,” Woods said.

“[After] losing twice to them, to get the win was pretty relieving.

“We had a really good turnout at Seiffert on Sunday.

“It was good, everyone went back to the [leagues] club [to celebrate].”

Woods also spoke of the decline of the competition in recent years, with many clubs struggling to field lower grade teams, including the Roos and their cross-town rivals the Blues.

“It’s nothing like it used to be,” he said.

“Roos don’t have an Under 19s team.”

In the lower grades, runaway Minor Premiers Gungahlin Bulls won the Reserves title with a 36-20 win over the Tuggeranong Bushrangers, whilst the Woden Valley Rams won the Under 19s title 42-18 over West Belconnen.

In the ladies’ grades, the West Belconnen Warriors defeated Yass 24-22 in a close match to win the Katrina Fanning Shield Tier 1 title, whilst the League Tag crown was won by Woden Valley 18-4 over Gungahlin.

Cover Image credit: Danni Johnson