Cover Photo: Narrandera Lizards Facebook

Tallon Smith

The Narrandera Lizards extended their winning run to 11 straight games in Group 20’s Toby Blunt Cup reserve grade competition after downing the Darlington Point-Coleambally Roosters 32-6 at the Darlington Point Sportsground on Sunday afternoon.

The Lizards ran in seven tries to the Roosters’ one, with Petero Taitusi and Kaijen Johnson each scoring doubles for the away side.

With the side six points ahead of two-time defending premiers Griffith Waratah Tigers, co-coach John Ingram said he is happy with the place Narrandera finds itself in with four rounds to play, praising the contributions of all involved within the club.

“We are three games clear on top of the ladder, which is a great position to be in at this time of the year, and a huge credit to our team and our supporters and everyone that has backed us moving back into Group 20 this year,” he said.

“To be sitting on top of the ladder three games clear is pretty impressive I think [after] moving back into a stronger competition from Proten [Community Cup] last year.”

“It’s all about the back end of the year and preserving our players moving forward for finals, because that’s the end goal, we want to make sure we go deep into finals and give it a good shot.”

One player who has been integral to the Lizards’ rise this season has been Kaijen Johnson, who returned to the club after a stint with Leeton last year.

Ingram said the emerging talent has grown in confidence throughout the season, playing in multiple positions within the side’s spine.

“Kaijen came from Leeton, played a bit of first grade there, local young bloke that grew up mainly in Nowra, but he’s got ties to Narrandera and all his family lives in Narrandera,” he said. 

“He’s come a long way in confidence especially this year, I know at Leeton last year he played a bit on the wing, a bit of fullback, but not generally a lot in the halves.

“We threw him into the halves this year and he has taken it on board and really taken that leadership role within the team.”

Meanwhile, Ingram also lauded another of the side’s off-season signings, in fellow try-double scorer Taitusi.

“Petero, he was a huge gain for us at the start of the year,” he said. 

“[He has] obviously himself got ties to Narrandera, [through] his girlfriend.

“He’s come from Yanco, and played a bit of first grade at Yanco.”

With the minor premiership all but secured, the Lizards have more than proven they can sustain form over the longer Group 20 season compared to the short, sharp Proten Cup competition.

As the side prepares for the club’s first finals campaign in a senior men’s competition in Group 20 since 1999, Ingram said the key to maintaining their quality performances is in continuing to improve on the training paddock and taking one week at a time.

“It all comes back to training, getting numbers at training and just making sure we are still working on all the one-percenters and taking a game at a time,” he said.

“I have spoken previously throughout the year about playing against teams, doesn’t matter who we play, each team that we play is going to be hard because they have got the ability to be able to drop some first graders back.

“Moving into the back end of the season where there may be teams that might not make finals in their first grade, but ultimately could scrape in in ressies, so they are going to do everything they can to win these back end games to scrape into finals, and they may be coming up against us where they are really pushing to beat us to get into the finals spots.”

The Lizards will take on third-placed Yenda at the Narrandera Sports Ground on Sunday.

NARRANDERA 32 (Petero Taitusi 2, Kaijen Johnson 2, Jack Hodges, Brayden Stewart, Jeremy Hampton tries; Matari Johnson 2 goals) DEFEATED DARLINGTON POINT-COLEAMBALLY 6 (Chaise Sergi try; Stevie Collins goal) at Darlington Point Sportsground, Sunday July 19.