Tallon Smith
Finals may be well out of reach for both sides, but the Hay Magpies claimed local bragging rights in the year’s second grand final rematch with a comprehensive 52-18 victory over Darlington Point-Coleambally at the Hay Park Oval on Sunday.
In a high-scoring contest featuring 13 tries, it was Hay halfback-turned-hooker Sulio Loka who starred, crossing the line four times to move into fourth place on the competition’s top tryscorers list and seal his side’s third victory of the season.
Hay first grade manager Ron Cowdrey said the season-best result was achieved by following the game plan of coach Zac O’Neill and playing simple football.
“It was a good team effort, it was a great win, and they played exactly how Zac wanted them to,” he said.
“They stuck to the game plan that Zac wanted, and it just shows sometimes that simple footy is what wins games of rugby league.”
It was Loka who opened the scoring just three minutes into the match after backing up a linebreak made by Rex Rokosusu, with Simon Darlow crossing soon after to open up a 12-0 lead, before Sam Fattore hit back for DPC.
The same Magpies pair then doubled up, with Loka going over following more great support play, before five-eighth Ryan Gash took a last tackle bomb and put in a kick of his own for Darlow to extend Hay’s advantage to 22-6 at the break.
The two sides then traded tries out of the interval, with Andrew Solo scoring the first of his double, before Fattore found his way over for a second.
However, from that point on Hay ran away with the match, scoring five of the final six tries, including two more to Loka, to record a 34-point victory.
Loka’s quadruple is just the latest strong showing in a remarkable rookie year for the 21-year-old, with Cowdrey impressed by his performance on both sides of the ball in the victory after a shift into the dummy half role.
“He’s a very handy footy player, and he took advantage of defence that needed to be taken advantage of,” Cowdrey said.
“He identified weak areas in their defensive line, and he played really well.
“His defence was good in the middle as well, Zac put him at hooker and he was outstanding.”
After a season to remember last year, the off-season loss of Will Barnes and reigning Ray Thorpe Medallist Ben Arandt meant 2026 was always going to be a tougher campaign for the Magpies.
However, following the arrival of key recruits in Solo and Parai, as well as the emergence of several new talents including Loka and Ben Bianco, Hay has so far been able to secure three victories in the second half of the competition.
Cowdrey said this improvement culminating in Sunday’s emphatic triumph at home has given the side a blueprint to build upon heading into 2027.
“It was good to have such a good win in front of the home crowd yesterday,” he said.
“[I’m] so stoked for the fellas that took part in it.
“Looking to next year, it gives us a good base to work on, and it shows that there is talent in that footy side.”
Despite the temptation to look ahead however, Cowdrey said the focus firmly remains on this weekend’s final round clash with second-placed Yanco-Wamoon, with the Magpies looking to make a statement against the competition heavyweights.
“I’m excited for the club for next year definitely, but this year’s not finished, we’ve got Yanco next week, and they might be looking to have a win, but we’ll also be looking to get one over them,” he said.
“The season’s not finished, it finishes next Sunday, and we want to show a good account of ourselves in the last game.”
Darlington Point-Coleambally will take on the Griffith Black and Whites at Solar Mad Stadium to close out its season.
Looking around the grounds at other results, the Griffith Waratah Tigers downed the Black and Whites 36-28, while Tullibigeal-Lakes United defeated Yanco-Wamoon in their top three showdown at Lake Cargelligo.
Yenda forfeited its first grade fixture to Leeton on Saturday, while West Wyalong moved back into the top five thanks to two points from the bye.
The ladder is: Griffith Waratahs (30 points), Yanco-Wamoon (27), Tullibigeal-Lakes United (26), Leeton (23), West Wyalong (18), Griffith Black & Whites (16), Darlington Point-Coleambally (12), Hay (10), Yenda (8).
HAY 52 (Sulio Loka 4, Simon Darlow 2, Andrew Solo 2, Jerry Nakete, Gary Parai tries; Loka 6 goals) DEFEATED DARLINGTON POINT-COLEAMBALLY 18 (Sam Fattore 2, Tom Fattore tries; Josh Veivers 3 goals) at Hay Park Oval, Sunday August 16.
