Bryson Luff

The Gulargambone Galahs proved to be too strong for the Walgett Dragons in the Castlereagh Community Cup grand final played at Gulargambone before a good crowd on
Sunday afternoon.

With a strong breeze behind them in the first half the Galahs wasted no time in putting it to good use with a long kick downfield giving them great field position and in the third minute their hooker Marshall Ryan went over for what was to be the first of their nine tries.

Not long after their winger Sonny-Bill Walker finished off a raid down the left flank with a 60-metre burst to score under the posts and the Galahs were beating the clock having scored 12 points in just eight minutes.

The Dragons were next to score after a Gular knock on from the kick off, that being the first of a series of errors by the Galahs, and with the possession and position Walgett was able to pressure the opposition defence which eventually cracked when a bomb was spilled resulting in a try to Robert Boney.

With the scoreboard reading 12 points to six it was a case of game on until the Gular backs
clicked into gear, scoring three tries in just ten minutes to have the Dragons on the back foot and down 28-6.

Some quick hands from a scrum win with just seconds to go in the first half saw Walgett’s Trent Mason flash over in the corner and the scoreboard situation looked a bit more appetising for the Dragons supporters at 28-10, especially considering that the red and whites would have the use of the breeze in the second stanza.

However, Walgett’s last gasp try in the first half was soon cancelled out when good hands saw Walker given a clear run to the line for his second try and Gular lead 32-10.

A few missed opportunities by the Galahs saw no change to the score until Walgett front rower Tristan Wise was able to reach out and place the ball over the line despite the attention of a number of Gulargambone defenders to again give the Dragons some degree of hope trailing by 16 points with 15 minutes remaining.

However, it was to be Gulargambone which finished by far the strongest, with their backs again dominating the play scoring three more tries to make the final score 46-16 and securing the first Castlereagh Community Cup for the Galahs.

GULARGAMBONE GALAHS 46 (Dwayne Hammond-McEwen 2, Sonny-Bill Walker 2, Jaylem Peters 2, Rorey Milgate, Grant Milgate, Marshal Ryan tries, Peters 2, Walker 2, Brandon Hammond goals) defeated WALGETT DRAGONS 16 (Trent Mason, Robert Boney, Tristan Wise tries, Arthur Walford 2 goals).

Castlereagh League: Roosters down Roos to end unbeaten run

Meanwhile round two of the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League competition saw the
Cobar Roosters down the defending premiers and Clayton Cup holders Coolah Roos in the match of the round played at Cobar.

The home side dominated the scoreboard in the first half leading 20-0 at the break and
then going on with it, getting out to 34-6 leaders before the Roos scored last to make the
final score 34-12.

At Warren the Coonabarabran Unicorns were too strong for the Bulldogs, cruising to a 32-6 lead after 40 minutes then running out 60-12 winners.

In other games the Narromine Jets got over the Dunedoo Swans at Dunedoo, winning 40-24, Coonamble downed Gilgandra by a similar score and Gulgong went home from Baradine as 38-14 winners.

The match of the round this week will be played at Coonabarabran with the Unicorns hosting the Cobar Roosters.

Both teams are currently undefeated, and the winner of this game will claim sole leadership on the competition ladder.

Both the Jessica Skinner Challenge Cup and the Boronia Challenge Cup will be on the line
when Coolah plays Coonamble at Coolah while Warren will be hoping to lift in front of their home crowd when they take on the well performed Narromine Jets, Baradine will again be at home, this time to the Dunedoo Swans and Gulgong and Gilgandra will do battle at Gulgong in what shapes as a close affair.

The popular Castlereagh reserve grade competition kicks off this weekend with games being played at Coolah, Coonabarabran and Gulgong.

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Round 2 Scores

Youth League

Narromine 32 (Flynn McGlashan 2, Carter McGill, Jake Shearwood, Connor Daley, Shannon Rule tries, Beau-Dean Williams 4 goals) defeated Gilgandra 22 (Sam Dunn, Peter Peters, Brodie Heffer, Isaiah Marchant tries, Peters 3 goals).

League Tag

Dunedoo 52 (Chelsea Gallagher 3, Matilda Harper 2, Shelley Cox, Maddie Cox, Georgia Coe, Xanthe Turnbull tries, Georgia Price 5, Gallagher 3 goals) defeated Narromine 10 (Chloe McLean 2 tries, Shian Chatfield goal)

Gulgong 24 (Emily Gallagher 2, Lolley Tumpey, Mia Reddish tries, Tumpey 4 goals) defeated Baradine 16 (Paula Evans, Stephanie Dewson, Holly Woodham tries, Anna Arndell 2 goals).

Coonabarabran 22 (Olivia Hall, Hannah Deshon, Brittany Andrews, Zoe Wark tries, Rachael Barron 3 goals) defeated Warren 12 (Keira Ellicott, Hayley Hall tries, Katina Darcy 2 goals).

Coolah 40 (Brooklyn Blackadder 4, Emma Burgess, Jenna Packham, Monika Mitrevska tries, Blackadder 6 goals) defeated Cobar 12 (Bridgette Negfeldt, Sarah Morley tries, Brianna Watson 2 goals).

Gilgandra 22 (Kiara Brown 2, Camella Hazelton 2, Samantha Hazelton tries, Brown goal) defeated Coonamble 6 (Hope Kehoe-Fernando try, Sam Turnbull goal).

Competition ladder: Dunedoo 6, Coolah 6, Gilgandra 6, Gulgong 6, Coonabarabran 4, Cobar 3, Warren 3, Baradine 2, Narromine 2, Coonamble 2.

First Grade

Narromine 40 (Kaiden Hill 2, Corey Cox 2, Tevita Lucas 2, Zach Everett, tries, Beaudean Williams 6 goals) defeated Dunedoo 24 (Jasateki Masibalavu, Rorey Madden, Will Duce, Billy Hing tries, Madden 4 goals).

Gulgong 38 (Elvey McEwen 2, Caiden Horton, Mason Hammond, Jackson Pascoe, Oliver Hollow, Tom Reddish tries, Hollow 5 goals) defeated Baradine 14 (Hayden Crossfield, Cameron Worrel, Tom Purdy tries, Crossfield goal).

Coonabarabran 60 (Nick Willoughby 2, Jordan Baker 2, Dylon Tighe, Eddie Kuras, Brad Fuller, Nash Walker, Luke Michael, Anthony Harris, Tyler Rogers tries, Willoughby 7 goals) defeated Warren 12 (DJ Kennedy 2 tries, Coby Hall 2 goals).

Cobar 34 (Tristan Everett 3, Tadgh McMullen 2, David Watson, Slade Neale, Jack Brown tries, Thomas Plater goal) defeated Coolah 12 (Jack Piper, Brad Pickering tries, Pickering goal).

Coonamble 40 (Jye Dixon 2, Lleyton Fernando, Kevin Thurston-Welsh, Paul Richtor, Derek Robinson, Daniel Sangster tries, Brenton Glover 6 goals) defeated Gilgandra 24 (Cobie Carr 3, Tyler Bamblett, Isaiah Gleadhill-Young tries, Luke Ritchie 2 goals).

Competition ladder: Cobar 6, Coonabarabran 6, Narromine 5, Dunedoo 4, Coonamble 4, Gilgandra 4,
Gulgong 4, Coolah 3, Warren 2, Baradine 2.