Bryson Luff

On Saturday 8th August spectators left the Coonabarabran No.1 Oval having witnessed an epic Christie and Hood Castlereagh League first grade qualifying semi-final battle between the Coonabarabran Unicorns and the Coolah Kangaroos.

That match was a high quality and totally gripping affair that went down to the wire with the home side getting up by just two points, the final score being 20-18.

A fortnight later, the two teams were at it again at the same venue in the preliminary final on Saturday, and once again it was a contest that will be remembered for years to come.

The Kangaroos didn’t waste any time getting on the scoreboard when second rower Austin Burgess cleaned up a grubber that rebounded off a Coonabarabran player to score in the third minute.

Ten minutes later a Brad Pickering 40-20 gave the Roos great field position which they duly converted to points when a slick long pass from Chanse Burgess put his winger Jacob Medd over in the corner and the visitors were looking good leading 10-0.

The Unicorns needed to score next, and they did just that after some good ball movement saw their fullback Sam Pickette touch down.

However, that effort was soon cancelled out when Chanse Burgess was able to hit the defensive line from close range and swivel over for another Coolah try and they were up 16-4.

With half time looming the home side were desperate to bridge the gap on the scoreboard and they applied constant pressure on the Kangaroos defence which held firm until finally after the ball was spun wide, the Unicorns lock Nick Willoughby was able to dash over to score a much needed try and then convert it and at half time it was very much game on with Coolah leading 16-10.

It took just two minutes of the second half for the Unicorns to level things up after they got the ball back from the kick off and within the ensuing set their centre Josh Nixon was able to score and with Willoughby’s sideline conversion sailing over it was 16-all.

The Roos responded not long after when another Chanse Burgess pass, this time a clever short offload while he stood in a tackle, saw Bradley Ellis spear over for a try and they lead by four.

Play moved from one end to the other until a Unicorns attacking raid saw centre Eddie Kuras breach the Coolah defensive line to score what was to become a converted try and now his side was back in front 22-20.

Following that try it appeared that the Unicorns were getting on top, making good metres through the middle and winning the game territorially.

That seeming domination came to an end when Chanse Burgess barged over for his second try after Coolah were able to move play down the Coonabarabran end of the field and once again the lead changed with the Kangaroos now leading 26-22.

A break from inside his own half by the Unicorns halfback Nash Walker saw him transfer the ball to Nixon who sprinted over to score and with 12 minutes remaining the blue and golds were up by two points the scoreboard reading 28-26.

This set the scene for a final frantic twelve minutes, and frantic it was with both teams throwing everything into their attack and alternately being forced to scramble desperately in defence.

The tension for the supporters of both sides was palpable, and it only got worse for them when a penalty goal to the Kangaroos, with five minutes remaining, locked the two teams together on 28 points.

With just thirty seconds to go it looked for all money that the game was headed for extra time, with, at that point in the game, a Coolah player held up over the line.

However, the Coolah player quickly retreated the ten metres to play the ball and with the Coonabarabran defence looking to extinguish a likely Pickering field goal attempt, the ball found its way to Jake Hawkins whose wobbly effort just squeezed inside the left upright and secured an incredible 29-28 win with two seconds remaining.

The Kangaroos now have an opportunity to make it three premierships in a row when they meet the Cobar Roosters in the grand final next Saturday.

In the earlier games the Cobar Roosters Youth League side did not get ahead of their Narromine Jets opponents until the final five minutes of the match at which point a converted try edged them ahead 26 to 22. They were then forced to desperately defend that four-point lead as the Jets threw everything at them including a last second effort that saw a Narromine player bundled into touch mere centimetres from scoring.

The Roosters will take on Coonabarabran in the grand final.

A strong 28-12 win by the Coolah Flyers over the Narromine Jets saw them set up a grand final battle with the Dunedoo Swannettes in next Saturday’s premiership decider.

The grand finals will be played at Cobar next Saturday with the Youth League grand final kicking off the day’s action at 11.00am.

The League Tag game will follow straight on after the Youth League presentations are concluded, with the first grade match starting no earlier than 2.00pm.

COOLAH 29 (Chanse Burgess 2, Austin Burgess, Bradley Ellis, Jacob Medd tries; Bradley Pickering 4 goals; Jake Hawkins field goal) DEFEATED COONABARABRAN 28 (Josh Nixon 2, Sam Pickette, Eddie Kuras, Nick Willoughby tries; Willoughby 4 goals) at Coonabarabran No.1 Oval, Saturday August 22.