MICK Watton is probably unlucky not to own more best and fairest points in the NDL Group 4 Player of the Year tally but his three-point effort on Sunday puts him in the running for the award.
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The North Tamworth captain and halfback led the Bears to a 48-16 win over Wee Waa at Bear Park, with his kicking game one of the features of the contest.
That helped keep Wee Waa on the back foot but he gave the credit to the Bear pack.
“I thought our forwards went forward well and bent Wee Waa back,” Watton said.
“That made it easier for us guys on the fringes to get the ball and play a bit of footy.
“We really need those bigger blokes in the forwards to lead the way next week.”
Next weekend’s game is the local derby at Scully Park.
One of the younger forwards in the side is teenage backrower Ethan Gaffney.
He scored one point on Sunday.
The two went to Wee Waa lock Kenny Anderson in just his second game back for the Panthers for the year.
West backrower Clint Ridley polled the three points in the other game on Sunday.
He helped the Lions beat Narrabri 30-14 at Collins Park.
It was a good day for the second-rowers, with Jake Rumsby taking two points.
The one went to West winger Adam Ruttley.
West coach Tony La Chiusa also listed captain Brendan Hunt, two-try backrower Chris Hunt, Sean Nean and Chris Vidler as others who impressed.
On Saturday, Moree beat Gunnedah 28-26 in a close and torrid game.
Jerome Hammond won the three points despite being sin-binned, a rare event, and prop Andrew Lowien picked up a point for Moree.
“Tom Ryan at hooker was the best in my eyes,” Moree coach Todd Mitchell said.
“Jason Dawson and Jerome Hammond were good and Holt Cubis came up from under 18s.
“He only turned 17 last week.
“He’s only little but he played lock and second-row and I reckon he would have made 30 tackles.
“They’ve already nicknamed him ‘the cattledog’.”
There was another gun junior on show in the Bulldogs ranks.
DJ Smith scored another three tries and received two points from the
referee.
“DJ Smith scored three unbelievable tries,” Gunnedah coach Geoff Sharpe said.
“He’s a nice kid and he’s good with the ball in his hands.
“When there’s nothing on he makes something happen.
“My best was Judd McDonald, who played second-row and centre.
“He had a blinder.
“And our three front-rowers played 40 minutes of reserve grade and 70 minutes of first grade – Andrew Cameron, Josh Launders and Ben Gardner – and that’s a great effort.”
The leaderboard remains largely unchanged, with Watton’s elevation to within four of leader Sean Russ the only major addition to the list of
frontrunners.
