By Bryson Luff

The Coolah ‘Roos second defence of the Boronia Cup saw them win a hard-fought game against the visiting Narromine Jets at Coolah’s Bowen Oval.

The ‘Roos got away with a 24 to 12 win over the Jets to see them remain undefeated at the halfway point in the 2024 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League competition.

It was better pickings for the Jets in the other grades with their League Tag side winning 34 to 20, that win meaning that they too remain undefeated thus far in the 2024 competition, whilst the Junior Jets scored a narrow 2-point win over the previously undefeated Gulgong Terriers in a game played at Coolah, winning 28 to 26.

The senior Gulgong sides travelled a little further north to do battle with Coonabarabran and whilst their League Tag side recorded a big win over the Unicorns the two first grade sides could not be split after 80 minutes in a high scoring game which saw both teams cross for six tries as well as both kicking four goals apiece for a 32 all draw.

The Gilgandra Panthers travelled up the Castlereagh Highway to face the Coonamble Bears with both sides in desperate need of a win to keep in touch with the top five.

It was to be the visitors who lead at half time, going to the sheds with the scoreboard reading 24 to nil in their favour, with that lead stretched out to 28 to nil just two minutes in to the second stanza.

The Bears, as always, were not about to lie down and after scoring two converted tries it was 28 to 12 and there was indeed some degree of concern amongst the Panther faithful who had the recent memory of their side’s capitulation, and subsequent loss, to the Coonabarabran Unicorns in round 6 still burning bright.

However, they did go on to record a 32 to 18 victory over a Bears outfit that never gave up.

The Bears will need to call upon every ounce of their resilience and spirit this weekend when they face the daunting trip to Cobar to take on the Roosters.

Whilst the win by the Gilgandra Panthers will give them encouragement, they too face a huge challenge next Saturday when they host the Coolah ‘Roos, and they will have to perform at their very best if they are to be the first team to lower their visitor’s colours this year.

The match of the round will be played at Narromine with the fourth placed Jets (15 competition points) up against the third placed Coonabarabran Unicorns (16 competition points).

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Round 7 scores.

Youth League

            Narromine 28 defeated Gulgong 26.

            Cobar 24 (Tadgh McMullen 2, Kai Taylor 2, Tom Bryan, Oisin McMullen tries, Bryan, Zane Jenner goals) defeated Binnaway 20 (Sonny Bill Walker, Toby Kelly, Deakan Meyers, Chris Frazer tries, Walker, Nash Walker goals).

Competition table;

Gulgong 13 (played 5, won 4), Cobar 13 (Played 5, won 4 lost 1), Narromine 11 (played 5, won 3), Binnaway 7 (Played 5, won 1).

League Tag

            Coonamble 22 (Shakaye Walker 2, Imogen Pawley, Hannah Towns tries, Walker, Pawley, Sam Turnbull goals) defeated Gilgandra 14 (Mab Fuller 2, Rani Diggs tries, Laura Jordan goal).

            Gulgong 60 (Matilda Harper 4, Millie Harper 4, Tayissa Lucas, Claire Bodiam, Marlie Hollow, Mel Robinson tries, Lolley Tumpey 6 goals) defeated Coonabarabran 0.

            Narromine 34 (Taylor McLean 2, Jacana Powell, Millah Phillips, Chloe McLean, Rebecca Smythe tries, Shian Chatfield 5 goals) defeated Coolah 20 (Brooklyn Blackadder 3, McKenzie Blackadder tries, Jasmine Thompson 2 goals).

            Cobar 28 (Brennah Aumua 3, Brianna Watson, Kayla Hassan tries, Watson 3, Tia Turner goals) defeated Binnaway 8 (Megan Harris, Claire Jones tries).

            Dunedoo 26 (Shelley Cox, Meg Christensen, Mya Clisby, Chelsea Gallagher, Jemayah Bailey, Mia Gallagher tries, Georgia Price goal) defeated Baradine 0.

Competition ladder.

Narromine 21, Dunedoo 19, Coolah 17, Gulgong 17, Coonamble 15 Baradine 13, Cobar 13, Gilgandra 11, Binnaway 7, Coonabarabran 7.

First Grade

            Gilgandra 32 (Kenny Johnson 2, Mick Louie 2, Tyler Bamblett, Evan Ryan tries, Ty Sutherland 4 goals) defeated Coonamble 18 (Jack Kelly, Jye Dixon, Rob Heinrich tries, Mitch Nalder 3 goals).

            Coonabarabran 32 (Nick Willoughby, Lachy Sutherland, Dylan Tighe, Jalyle Riley, Tyler Frazer, Les Cain tries, Willoughby 2, Mathew Watton 2 goals) drew with Gulgong 32 (Brad James 2, Brodie McGann, Harry May, Toby O’Leary, Cooper Furney tries, James 4 goals).

            Coolah 24 (Jayden Brown, Kieren McDonald, Justin Mogg, Chanse Burgess tries, Dan Lane 4 goals) defeated Narromine 12 (Darby Gordon, Cooper Anning tries, Brad Pickering, Doug Potter goals).

Competition Ladder

Coolah 21, Cobar 19, Coonabarabran 16, Narromine 15, Gulgong 14, Gilgandra 13, Baradine 11, Coonamble 9.

Round 8 22 June

Narromine V Coonabarabran (Jess Skinner Challenge Cup in League Tag)

Baradine V Binnaway

Gulgong V Dunedoo

Gilgandra V Coolah

Cobar V Gulgong (Youth League)

Cobar V Coonamble. (LLT and First Grade)

Check local media and socials for kick off times.