Bryson Luff

The opening game of the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League minor and Minor Semi Finals played over the weekend set the tone for what was about to unfold in the remaining five games that were played out in front of large and appreciative audiences.

That game was the minor semifinal reserve grade game played at Coonabarabran on Saturday between the Binnaway Bombshells and the Coonamble Bears and it was one that was propelled into extra time after the Bears scored a try with just nine seconds remaining on the clock in regulation time to lock the scores up.

In what was a helter-skelter finish the Bombies prevailed, but only just, the final score being 28-26.

The league game followed with the Baradine Magpies shooting out to a 10-nil lead over the Narromine Jets before the red and whites clawed their way back into the game to lead 14-10 at half time then adding another converted try in a tense second half to come away with a 20-10 victory to stay alive in the 2025 season.

Playing on their home turf the Coonabarabran Unicorns first grade side were sitting pretty at half time with an 18-6 lead over the Gulgong Bull Terriers and then things looked decidedly rosier for them when they scored a converted try under the posts within the first five seconds of the second half after Gulgong coughed up the ball from the kick.

That 24-6 lead was stretched out to 30-6 some seven minutes later and at that point the home side looked to be coasting to an easy victory.

That most certainly was not to be the case with the Terriers incredibly going up a gear and racing in for three converted tries in eight minutes and with the scoreboard reading 30-24 it was game on!

Both sides went at it and it wasn’t until the Unicorn’s captain coach Nick Willoughby very skilfully threaded a grubber through the Gulgong defence from close range, with the ensuing race for the ball being won by his centre Brad Fuller, that the blue and golds looked as if they might win what had become a gripping encounter.

Whilst the Bull Terriers gave it their all in the remaining minutes and scored the last points in the match the clock was against them and the went down 36 to 30.

The Major Semis followed the next day at Coolah with the Baradine Magpies reserve grade side booking themselves a grand berth with a 20-12 win over the minor premiers, the Narromine Jets.

The previously undefeated Coolah Flyers league tag premiership hopes took a severe battering when the Dunedoo Swannettes fired up in the second half after the scores were locked at 10 all at half time to come away with a rather sizeable 34-14 win which featured some scintillating tries.

Whilst the thought of both the minor premiers losing their games in reserve grade and league tag might not have been on the minds of the Coolah Kangaroos first grade side when they took the field against the Narromine Jets it most certainly looked as if that might have been the case for them as well when they were staring at a 12 nil scoreline against them after the Jets had got away to a belter scoring three unconverted tries in an amazing opening nine minutes.

The game was turned on its head midway through the first half when the Jets lost two players, one to the bin, and another sent off.

The absence of these players did the Coolah cause no harm and by half time they were well back in the game after scoring two unconverted tries.
It didn’t take long for the ‘Roos to get ahead on the scoreboard after the resumption of play and with 27 minutes remaining the held an 18-12 lead.

The Jets got back to within two points mid-way through the second half but that was to be the last time that they were to call the scoreboard attendant into action whilst the Kangas were able to finish with two converted tries to make it a 30-16 scoreline and a home grand final.

The Jets will now host the preliminary finals at Narromine this Saturday with all their three grades taking part.

Their reserve grade will kick off the day playing the Binnaway Bombshells whilst their league tag side will be up against the Coolah Flyers and in first grade the Jets and the Coonabarabran Unicorns will clash.