Tallon Smith

Despite playing 10 minutes with 11 men, Albury finished its season on a high note with a 36-30 victory over Tumut in a back-and-forth battle at Greenfield Park on Sunday.

After a melee saw a player from each team sin-binned and Thunder star Vili Cerei sent off, the home side rallied to turn a 26-22 advantage into a six-point win in a frenetic final quarter.

With the match doubling as the club’s Cultural Round, Albury coach Etu Uaisele said the players dug deep to ensure they would emerge victorious.

“It was a big occasion for the boys, cultural [round], everyone was keen to play, and to get the win is a bonus,” he said.

“To win with 11 or 12 players at the end, it’s a big boost for the club.

“I see what the boys were like in the last month, turning up for each other and I know it was hard in the first half, but [in the] second half [when we] were a man down, they actually turned up for each other.

“That’s what won us the game, just turning up for each other.”

Video: Albury v Tumut – Key Moments

After the Thunder took a 10-6 lead in the first half, the Blues rallied with three quick tries to Eli Williams, Malik Aitken and Jordy Maher to take a 22-10 lead into the sheds at the break.

Albury returned serve on the other side, with three four-pointers of their own to Cerei, Blake Grounds and Jordan Uinipaulo to reclaim their four-point advantage at 26-22.

Following that, the sides were reduced in numbers, with Uaisele and Aitken sin-binned, joining Cerei who was dismissed for the remainder of the game.

The Blues utilised their one-man advantage quickly to level the game through Toby Tanks, but a show and go from Nate Broekman saw Albury cancel that out soon after and move six points clear.

Needing a reply with time running down, Tumut found one through five-eighth Eli Williams with four minutes remaining, though an unsuccessful conversion attempt left the visitors trailing 32-30.

However, despite the Blues throwing plenty at the Thunder off the ensuing kick-off, Albury’s defence held firm, with a strip from fullback Lachy Munro paving the way for co-captain Nathan Darby to crash over on the stroke of full time and seal the Border club’s fourth win in the final seven rounds.

After again being among Albury’s best, Uaisele was full of praise for Darby, who has become a fan favourite in his five years at the Thunder after joining from English club Stanningley, where he grew up playing in the same team as Tumut captain Jordan Anderson.

“Darbs is probably one of our best this year in the forwards, he shows up and does his best every week, and for him to score that try to win the game, I’m so happy for him,” Uaisele said.

“I’m pretty sure he’s excited for next year and what he has put in, in the game, it’s unbelievable.”

Meanwhile, after making a comeback in reserve grade at Tumut earlier in the season, Uaisele returned to the top grade for the match, where he led the Thunder in a traditional Sipi Tau Tongan war dance.

Despite not looking out of place on the field at 42 years of age, the former NRL star said he hopes it is his last first grade match, though he does hope to play some reserve grade football alongside son Richie in 2027.

“I didn’t think I would play this year, we had a few guys out with injuries and we just didn’t have many players to back up and I thought it’s a good way just to help the boys out in the game today,” he said.

“To put the boots back on and have a crack at it, it actually felt good, it’s definitely different from reserve grade, to play first grade you’ve got to be on your game and I was just happy that I got through the game today and we got the win.

“I will probably try to play with my son next year in reserve grade, that’s a goal for me, but hopefully I don’t have to play first grade.

“The club is still building, it’s hard when we have new players every week and [don’t] have the same team, hopefully the boys will stay on next year, and build from this.”

The Thunder finish the season in eighth position, one spot above the Blues.

ALBURY 36 (Vili Cerei 2, Siale Lavulavu, Blake Grounds, Jordan Uinipaulo, Nate Broekman, Nathan Darby tries; Broekman 4 goals) DEFEATED TUMUT 30 (Eli Williams 2, Finn Heath, Malik Aitken, Jordy Maher, Toby Tanks tries; Williams 3 goals) at Greenfield Park, Sunday August 23.