Tallon Smith

The Wagga Brothers flipped the script on defending premiers Temora, avenging last year’s loss with a 16-14 win in the Group 9 League Tag Grand Final at Geohex Park in Wagga on Sunday.

A late penalty goal to Brooke Wiggett proved to be the difference in a see-sawing encounter between the two greatest league tag outfits of this generation in the region, with a remarkable 14 of the 17 premierships in the competition shared between the two clubs.

Brothers started the match in stunning fashion, opening up a 14-0 lead through Bailey Porter, whose four-pointer was bookended by a Holly Williams double.

However, the tide turned in the second half, with the Dragons roaring back to close the margin to two points courtesy of tries to Zoe Bent, Molly McCrone and Amelia Murphy.

Temora then received a penalty within kickable distance, with competition best and fairest winner Emily Perrot opting to take the two and level the game at 14-all.

A tense final few minutes ensued, with Brothers having the better of the chances, before another penalty to the Wagga side saw Wiggett kick the penalty goal and secure Brothers’ first title since 2019.

Brothers interchange Jess Humphries said that the win meant a lot to the squad, particularly after the heartbreaks of 2022 and 2024, both against Temora.

“There’s no words for it, it’s outstanding, this group of girls is something special and it’s been a long time coming,” she said. 

“We’ve worked really hard this season, so it’s a good reward.”

Although obviously overjoyed with the victory, Humphries acknowledged the pain of the manner in which their opponents tasted defeat in a game that hung in the balance for so long.

“It’s a good way to win, it’s not a great way to lose, but the game was like that, it was on a knife’s edge and it could have gone absolutely any way,” she said. 

“We just had to put every foot forward that we could and keep turning up for each other, and that’s what we did and that’s what counts in the end.”