Bryson Luff

In the 58th minute of the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League round 4 local derby between the Gulgong Terriers and the Dunedoo Swans played at Gulgong the home side’s five-eighth, Oliver Hollow scored his side’s second try in the game to make the scoreboard read 36 to 10 in favour of the visitors.

Incredibly, just 20 minutes later, that same scoreboard was reading 40-36, but this time the Terriers were in front after an amazing scoring blitz that was completed by a chip and chase effort from half-back Brad James with just two minutes remaining.

Just as the Terriers will be lamenting their defensive effort earlier in the game which saw Dunedoo get ahead 36-6, Swan players and supporters will be shaking the heads in disbelief as to how they could possibly let such a decisive lead disappear in such a short period of time, letting the Terriers in for six tries during what was a total collapse of their defensive structure.

Certainly, the Swans will have to address that issue and address it fast as they will be lining up against the unbeaten Coolah Kangaroos this coming Saturday in another local derby.

The ‘Roos rebounded from their near shock loss to Coonamble the week before with a 40-8 win over the Warren Bulldogs at Warren on Saturday, to sit alone at the top of the table as they attempt to emulate their 2024 premiership winning effort.

Coolah’s league tag side, The Flyers, is also undefeated thus far this season and their clash with the equal second placed Dunedoo Swannettes should ensure that a big crowd packs into Dunedoo’s Robertson Oval early to witness the action between the archrivals.

The Coonabarabran Unicorns continued their good start to the season when they got over the top of the Narromine Jets 28 to 20, scoring six tries to four in the process, to shore up their second place standing on the competition ladder.

In the remaining game the Coonamble Bears proved to be too strong for the Baradine Magpies, taking the northern local derby 58 to six to register their first win of the year.

That result, combined with their stout showing against Coolah the previous week, should give them belief that they are more than capable of rolling the Narromine Jets at home this Saturday.

Meanwhile the Magpies will have to regroup and hope that their home ground advantage will come to the fore when they host the Unicorns in yet another local derby for the club.

The remaining first grade game this weekend will see the Cobar Roosters, fresh from the bye in round 3, taking the long trek to Gulgong to face the Bull Terriers who will buoyed by their stunning come from behind win over the Swans, but they can ill afford to give such a head start to the well credentialled Cobar outfit.

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Round 4 scores

League Tag

Cobar Roosterettes 50 (Taylah Good 2, Kayla Hasson-Williams 2, Jezebel Hitchens, Amylee Patterson, Brianna Watson, Teresita Turner, Kelsy Neve, Neve Carter tries, Watson 5 goals) defeated Gilgandra Pink Panthers 10 (Kiara Brown, Camilla Hazelton tries, Brown goal).

Coolah Flyers 46 (Brooklyn Blackadder 4, Jasmine Thompson 2, Molly Burgess,
Emma Ratatagia tries, Tori Mogg 6, Lisa Jones goals) defeated Warren 16 (Mab Fuller 2, Lilly Dayes tries, Maddie Marks 2 goals).

Baradine Magpies 44 (Jorja Carey 2, Adda Craig 2, Emma Murray, Suzannah Carey, Zale Fulton, Abbey Dewson, Paula Evana Anna Arndell tries, Carig 3, Jorja Carey goals) defeated Coonamble 4 (Shakaye Walker try).

Narromine 68 (Millah Phillips 2, Kia Rose 2, Brianna Davis2, Jacan Powell 2, Abbie Mitchell, Kelsea Phillips, Shian Chatfield, Chloe McLean, Hannah Towns tries, Chatfield 7, Davis goals) defeated Coonabarabran 10 (Meg Walton, Anthea Karavas tries, Chloe Wark goal).

Dunedoo 60 (Chelsea Gallagher 5, Shelley Cox 3, Meg Christensen, Hayley Berg,
Matilda Harper tries, Georgia Price 8 goals) defeated Gulgong 0.

Competition ladder: Coolah 12, Narromine 10, Dunedoo 10, Baradine 10, Cobar 10, Coonabarabran 6, Warren 6, Coonamble 6, Gulgong 6, Gilgandra 4.

First Grade

Coolah Kangaroos 40 (Chanse Burgess 2, Dylan Edwards, Jacob Medd, Casey
Burgess, Austin Burgess, Hugh Wesley tries, Dan Lane 6 goals) defeated Warren Bulldogs 8 (Harry Thuaux, Alex Ronayne tries).

Coonamble Bears 58 (Mark Jones 2, Earl Anderson 2, David Jones, Mark McEwen, Derek Robinson, Jye Dixon, Jermaine Thurston, Blaike Fernando tries, Brenton Glover 9 goals) defeated Baradine Magpies 6 (Tom Purdy try, Liam Fernando goal).

Coonabarabran Unicorns 28 (Eddie Kuras, Sonny-Bill Walker, Sam Pickett, Cody
Howe, Tyler Frazer, Nick Willoughby tries, Walker, Brad Fuller goals), defeated Narromine Jets 20 (Janus Walford, Washington Itoya, Kaiden Hill, Corey Cox tries, Cox 2 goals).

Gulgong Bull Terriers 40 (Jay O’Brien, Ollie Hollow, Brad James, Dan Crane, Will
Hawkins, Tom Reddish, Blake Power tries, James 6 goals) defeated Dunedoo Swans 36 (Tariq Sullivan, Tyler Bamblett, Rory Madden, Ben Gallagher, Jack Guan, Mack Ellis tries, Madden 6 goals).

Cobar Roosters bye

Competition Ladder: Coolah 12, Coonabarabran 10, Cobar 10, Gulgong 10, Dunedoo 8, Narromine 8, Coonamble 8, Baradine 6, Warren 4.

Round 5

Friday 23rd May
Gilgandra V Warren (League Tag)
Saturday 24 th May
Baradine V Coonabarabran.
Coonamble V Narromine.
Dunedoo V Coolah.
Gulgong V Cobar.
Check local media and club socials to confirm game times.