By Bryson Luff

The opening round of the 2024 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League competition has thrown up some interesting results with big wins going to the Cobar Roosters, the Coolah ‘Roos and Coonabarabran Unicorns whilst the defending premiers the Gulgong Terriers managed to get home in a thrilling game against the Baradine Magpies. 

Playing at their beloved Tom Knight Oval in Cobar the Roosters gave an early indication that they will be out to go one better than their grand final loss in 2023 when they handed the visiting Narromine Jets a hefty loss, racing in for 9 tries in an emphatic 58 to 14 win.

Their grand final opponents, and the reigning premiers from last year, Gulgong Bull Terriers, got away with a very hard-fought win 24 to 20 win over the Baradine Magpies in their game played at Baradine.

Following the Magpies recent good form in trials and at the Castlereagh knock-out, many thought that the black and whites would get the win in Magpie Land, and they very nearly did, just falling short in what would have been a major boost to their morale for the 2024 season.

At Coolah the ‘Roos continued on their winning way from the knockout the previous Saturday, registering a large and impressive 40 to 6 win over a Gilgandra Panther outfit that would have been hard pressed to have been able to squeeze any more errors into an 80-minute game of rugby league.

Gilgandra’s inept display takes nothing away from the fact that the ‘Roos were way too good on the day and that they mean business in their comeback year to the Castlereagh competition!

In a high scoring game, the Coonabarabran Unicorns started their 2024 campaign with a strong win over their archrivals, the Coonamble Bears taking the encounter 48 points to 30.

The match of the round this Saturday will obviously be the blockbuster grand final rematch of the 2023 grand final opponents, the Gulgong Bull Terriers and the Cobar Roosters which is expected to draw a huge crowd to Gulgong’s Billy Dunn Oval.

Whilst it may not be the premiership silverware that the Rooster’s would have liked to have claimed at the same ground in the 2023 season finale, the time-honoured Boronia Cup is up for grabs, and Cobar would like nothing better than to have it strapped into the front seat of their bus on the return journey come Saturday night whilst the Terriers will be going tooth and nail to retain it.

In other games, both the Narromine Jets and the Gilgandra Panthers will be looking to bounce back from their respective heavy defeats last Saturday when they clash at Narromine, whilst Coolah will be out to secure an away win when they face the difficult assignment of upending the Coonamble Bears at Coonamble and in what should be a fantastic battle at Baradine, the Magpies will resume hostilities against their archrivals, the Coonabarabran Unicorns in what should be another classic local derby!

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Round 1 scores

Youth League

Cobar Roosters 36 (Jaxon Burke 2, Kai Taylor 2, Tommy Bryan, Tadgh McMullen, Oisin McMullen, Aiden Swan, Jamal Eves tries, Tadgh McMullen 2, Oisin McMullen 2 goals) defeated Narromine Jets 16 (Josh Dela Cerna, Darby Gordon, Ashton Coleman tries, Zac Everett 2 goals)

League Tag

Coolah Flyers 38 (Mackenzie Blackadder 3, Molly Burgess 2, Jacinta Dummett, Jasmine Thompson, Channy Burgess tries, Thompson 2, Jessica Sternback goals) defeated Binnaway Bombshells 4 (Maigan Meyers try).

Dunedoo Swannettes 18 (Shelley Cox 2, Meg Christensen, Chloe Brogham tries, Georgia Price goal) defeated Gilgandra Pink Panthers 10 (Rachel Drury, Laura Jordan tries, Sam Brennan goal)

Baradine Magpies 20 (Abby Thompson, Ada Craig, Jorja Carey, Jalika Leslie tries, Holly Arndell, Craig goals) defeated Gulgong 12 (Laurissa Tumpey 2 tries and 2 goals).

Narromine 28 (Shian Chatfield 4, Rebecca Smythe tries, Chatfield 4 goals) defeated Cobar 16 (Sophie Clarke, Brianna Watson, Bridgette Negfeldt tries, Watson 2 goals).

Coonamble 48 (Mackayla McEwen 3, Hannah Towns 3, Shakaye Walker 2, Imogen Pawley, Kiara Cross, Mia Nalder tries, Sam Turnbull 2 goals) defeated Coonabarabran 4 (Cody Wright try).

First Grade

Gulgong Bull Terriers 24 (Brad James 2, Joey Annetts, Sam Gorries tries, James 4 goals) defeated Baradine Magpies 20 (Jamie Knox 2, Daniel Howe, Dylan Hohnberg tries, Billy Carey 2 goals).

Coonabarabran Unicorns 48 (Dane Kershaw 2, Nick Willoughby, Luke Stanton, Steven Watton, Jacob Baker, Brad Fuller tries, Fuller 7 goals) defeated Coonamble Bears 30 (Daniel Sangster 2, Preston Smith, Tyrell Kennedy, Brendan Draper tries, Mitch Nalder 5 goals).

Coolah Roos 40 (Jake Burgess 2, Darcy Arnott, Dylan Edwards, Tyler Lennox, Hugh Wesley, Steven Lamond, Chanse Burgess tries, Wesley 3, Chanse Burgess goals) defeated Gilgandra Panthers 6 (Wade Peachey try, Ty Sutherland goal).

Cobar Roosters 58 (Loma Ataua 2, Ashley Davies, Tyler Coughlan, Ben Griffiths, Thomas Plater, Nathan McAndrew, Tim Hillam, Chris Crotty, Tadgh McMullen tries, James Neyland 7 goals) defeated Narromine Jets 14 (Luke Thompson 2, Drayson McKellar tries, Doug Potter goal).

Round 2 games

Friday 3rd May 7.00pm; Binnaway V Dunedoo (LLT).

Saturday 4th May: Coonamble V Coolah, Baradine V Coonabarabran, Gulgong V Cobar (Boronia Cup Challenge game), Narromine V Gilgandra.

Photo courtesy of The Cobar Weekly