Tallon Smith
A penalty goal after the full time siren from Noah Forbutt lifted Yenda to a heartstopping 14-13 victory and provided a cruel end to Narrandera’s premiership dream in a thrilling Group 20 reserve grade grand final at EW Moore Oval on Sunday.
The Blueheelers took a 12-10 lead into the half time break after both sides crossed twice in the opening half, Narrandera through Deakin Bright and Bodean Tereva, and Yenda via Bohdy Martyn and man of the match Salesi Fatafehi.
What followed in the second stanza was one of the more remarkable halves of football, with the only three points scored in the opening 39 and a half minutes coming via the boot of Lizards lock Gary Ingram, in the form of a penalty goal and a field goal.
However, after Narrandera dropped just two games all season and worked hard to get back in front in the brutally hot conditions, a final minute penalty saw captain-coach Forbutt step up and nail a kick from 30 metres out to steal a late victory and seal Yenda’s third Toby Blunt Cup in five years.
After providing one of the more memorable finishes to a Group 20 grand final in recent memory, Forbutt said moments like the final play of Sunday’s match are a reflection of the work he and the side put in throughout the 2026 campaign.
“That’s footy, that’s why you play these big games, and [put in] all the work through pre-season through the season just constantly practising my goals,” he said.
Having lost the major semi final to Narrandera 32-16 a fortnight earlier, Yenda was forced to go the hard way and defeat Griffith Waratahs in the preliminary final last weekend to reach the big dance.
Despite having played the extra match, the Blueheelers took a lead into the break and had periods of ascendancy, and continued to fight when Ingram potted a field goal to put the Lizards up 13-12, earning the crucial penalty just prior to the full time siren that led to the now famous finish.
Forbutt said the resilience the side showed throughout the match stems from the closeness of the squad.
“I think that’s what’s so good about our group, everyone’s just so tight, we’re brothers,” he said.
“We’re a unit, and we just kept turning up for each other and came away with the win.”
The win also ended a tough season for the Yenda club on a high, after its first grade side finished its campaign with just two victories and the wooden spoon.
Forbutt said the premiership win was a great reward for the Blueheelers’ volunteers, who continued to work tirelessly despite the challenges that 2026 brought.
“It means the world, there’s so much work that goes on behind the scenes, it’s a small but tight community that keeps Yenda afloat,” he said.
“Hopefully we can just keep turning up and first grade can have a crack next year.”
YENDA 14 (Bohdy Martyn, Salesi Fatafehi tries; Noah Forbutt 3 goals) DEFEATED NARRANDERA 13 (Deakin Bright, Bodean Tereva tries; Gary Ingram 2 goals; Ingram field goal) at EW Moore Oval, Sunday September 20.
