Narrabri’s Peter Wenner (left) and Tom Druce haul down Wee Waa’s Brenton Cochrane earlier this year. Tomorrow the two sides clash in the semis. Photo: Grant Robertson 220412GRA51
QUESTION: How can the already massive Wee Waa/Narrabri local derby get any bigger?
The answer is when it’s a Group 4 elimination semi-final.
Come 5pm tomorrow one of them will be out of the running for the grand final while the other not only claims some local bragging rights but a place in the last three.
“We’ve done the hard work to get this far,” Wee Waa player-coach Brenton Cochrane said.
“It’s do or die now.
“Hopefully we can take that next step.
“It’ll be a big one.
“Both sides will be confident because we’ve both won one each.
“They’ll be set to fire and they’ll be confident, but we’re confident too.”
The Blues would have set their sights higher than fourth place earlier in the season.
Going to Wee Waa tomorrow was not part of the plan.
But go they must and captain Sean Russ reckons they are ready to give their all.
“Last time we played a semi out there they beat us so we want to get one back,”he said.
“We’re looking pretty sharp at the moment.
“We’ve only got two players out, Zac (Russ) and Jake Rumsby.
“We’ll field a strong team and hopefully go well.
“We’ll give it a crack anyway.”
They might only have two players missing but they’re both Group reps.
Rumsby has also been in outstanding form lately.
“I think he’s been the best backrower in the Group,” Russ said.
“He hurt his sternum against Norths and didn’t play last week and I don’t think he’ll play again this season.
continued page 112