Bryson Luff

Big crowds were on hand to witness the historic return of the Mendooran Tigers to the rugby league field at Binnaway last Saturday and also just up the road at Coonabarabran for the huge top of the table clash between the Unicorns and the Coolah Kangaroos.

The importance of the Tigers’ re-formation to the Mendooran community should not be understated and as Mendooran’s coach Scott Murray pointed out after the game, the Bombshell supporters were greatly outnumbered by Tigers fans and his team didn’t let them down.

After what he described as “a nervous and jittery start to the game” the Tigers had established a 14 points to nil lead at the break and looked set to go on with it, but they were not to bother the scoreboard attendant in the second stanza as the Bombshells came out firing and with Mendooran seeing very limited possession with just a few minutes to go it was anyone’s game at 14 points to 10.

That was to be the final score after some very nervous final minutes for supporters of both sides.

Indeed, as Murray stated it was on the back of a great defensive in that second half that the community of Mendooran were able to celebrate their first football win in 40 years.

Whilst the game at The Crater was winding up, the highly anticipated table topping first grade clash between the Coonabarabran Unicorns and the Coolah Kangaroos was just getting underway.

This game had a finals intensity about it and a huge crowd to match.

The first half was an intense back and forth battle between the two sides the scores being locked up at 4 all before Coolah edged out to a 12 to 4 lead at the break when their hard working front rower Casey Burgess cleaning up with a try, much to the dismay of the home crowd, after a bomb was left unattended by the Unicorns with just two minutes remaining until half time.

Urged on by large contingent of Coona Old Boys as they took to the field for the resumption of play the Unicorns seemed to go up a gear whilst the Kangaroos began to have handling issues, with two of their errors leading to tries to Coonabarabran one of which was converted, and just eight minutes in to the second half the scoreboard read 14 to 12 in favour of the blue and golds.

With the Unicorns applying great pressure the Kangaroos were pinned down in the own half and when Coonabarabran centre Brad Fuller put through an excellent grubber kick down the right flank which was pursued at great pace by his winger Sonny Bill Walker who latched on to the ball to score it was looking as if Coolah might be going to experience their first loss for the year with the home side well and truly on top and the scoreboard reading 18 to 12.

It was not until the 27 th minute of the second half that Coolah were able to battle their way over the halfway line and a great individual effort by Chanse Burgess which saw him shrugging off numerous would-be tacklers on a run from 10 metres out saw him score what was to become a converted try and an 18 all game.

That lead was short lived when Fuller slotted a penalty goal from close range and Coonabarabran was back in the lead 20-18.

However, the reigning premiers were not done and with just three minutes remaining Chanse Burgess threaded a grubber through and behind the Coonabarabran defensive line which second rower Austin Burgess was able to ground in goal for what was to become the match winning try, the final score being 22 to 20.

The Unicorns’ captain coach, Nick Willoughby, whilst obviously disappointed with not getting the win, expressed that he was happy overall after what was great performance by his side against the benchmark team in the competition.

He said that there were many positives to come out of the game and with the blend of young and older players that the Unicorn team has he is confident that his team will continue to improve and be heavily involved in the final series.

In other games Gulgong managed to overcome the long road trip to Coonamble and the Bears on their home turf to register an important 36 to 32 victory, whilst the Narromine Jets remained in third position on the ladder with a 28 to 16 win over the Cobar Roosters and the Warren Bulldogs broke through for the first win of the season, toppling Baradine 46 to 22 at Baradine.