By Tallon Smith
Griffith Black & Whites will play Darlington Point-Coleambally in the 2024 Group 20 Rugby League First Grade Grand Final after defeating Yenda 22-20 in the Preliminary Final at the Exies Sports Oval.
After taking a 16-10 lead into the sheds a half time, the Black and Whites saw off a determined Blueheelers outfit to secure the narrowest of finals victories.
Griffith Black and Whites President Craig O’Keefe said that after escaping Sunday’s match victorious, the Panthers are now squarely focused on the big game ahead this coming Sunday.
“We had a bit of a chat before training tonight and luckily we’ve got a fairly good mix of youth and experience there,” he said.
“There’s plenty of boys that have played Grand Finals before, and they were just telling the young blokes to enjoy the week for what it is.
“This is what we play football for.”
As for the close finish to Sunday’s game, O’Keefe said that it was an extremely nervous final 10 minutes, with his own reactions being the source of much amusement for his squad in their video session.
“Well, when we were talking tonight, the boys were talking about me pacing up and down the sideline when they watched the video again,” he said.
“It wasn’t our best game of football, we’ve been playing a bit of football like that, but hopefully we can turn it around.”
Looking ahead to the tough task of taking on Minor Premiers Darlington Point-Coleambally in the Grand Final, O’Keefe said he believes the Black and Whites have what it takes to beat the Roosters and complete their remarkable run from fifth position on Sunday.
“Oh very much so, our games this year have been [close],” he said.
“We’ve always defended well, but when we keep making mistakes and giving away territory all the time and having to do three times the defence we have to, at some stage it’s got to give way.
“That’s what we’re talking about tonight, that if we can cut the mistakes out and stop giving away penalties, we should be able to just play boring football and win it.
“That last game we played against them, we had them on the ropes and a couple of things went against us, and all of a sudden they got back in front of us just on the bell.
“When we played them earlier in the season, first game at the round at home, our captain coach was sent off in the first half, so we played the rest of that game with only 12 players on the field.
“We reckon we’ve got their measure, we can do this.”
The Roosters also have great motivation of their own, as they look to avenge Grand Final losses in the past two seasons and win their first title since 2019.
Despite bowing out of the First Grade race, Yenda still remain in the hunt for two premierships in their centenary year when they face Waratahs in the Reserves and West Wyalong in League Tag on Grand Final Day next Sunday.
The Grand Final appearances follow the Blueheelers being named Club Champions at the Ray Thorpe Medal count on Friday night.
Lower Grades
The Griffith Waratah Tigers completed their remarkable rise from recess last season to a Grand Final appearance with a 30-10 win over Leeton.
The Tigers flew out of the blocks, scoring within the opening couple of minutes on their way to a 30-0 lead.
Halfback and Coach Luke Farmer was neatly untouchable, utilising his evergreen pace and selling dummies to defenders by the dozen to weave his way around tired defenders and set up his outside men in a scintillating performance.
Meanwhile in the League Tag, West Wyalong qualified for another Grand Final with a heartstopping 16-12 win over the Leeton Greenies.
Leeton themselves will also be there on Grand Final Day after their 18s beat Yenda, while the TLU Sharks Under 16s also punched their ticket to the biggest day in Western Riverina footy after defeating the Greenies.
Both sides will face the Black and Whites powerhouse and their strong junior grades next weekend in two massive clashes to start the day.
Grand Final Day is next Sunday at Solar Mad Stadium (Griffith Rugby Oval), with games beginning at 9am.
Battlers For Bush Footy 