WEE Waa’s Ben Power, North Tamworth’s Abel Carney and Gunnedah’s Aaron Donnelly have all jumped into contention for The Northern Daily Leader Group 4 Player of the Year Award after their sides scored good wins on the weekend.
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Wee Waa, North Tamworth and Gunnedah all powered to good wins with second-half surges.
Narrabri and West Lions led North Tamworth and Gunnedah at half time, Narrabri ahead 18-16 and West Lions ahead 18-14 before the Bears rolled to a 58-30 win at Collins Park and Gunnedah fought back to win 42-28 at Kitchener Park.
Wee Waa only led 18-16 at Cook Oval, against Oxley Diggers before finding their groove and pouncing for a 60-26 win.
Ben Power was one of the Panthers’ best.
He and younger brother Sam, were strong in the back row a week after Ben had played for Group 4.
His three point poll from the referees took him to a joint lead with Gunnedah’s Trent Hilton, Bears pivot Abel Carney, who picked up a point in the Narrabri win and West Lions fullback Mitch Doring, who picked up two points for his effort in a losing side at Gunnedah where rival fullback, Aaron Donnelly picked up the three points, his first of the G4 season.
“It was the best game I’ve seen him play,” said Gunnedah coach Shane Rampling of Donnelly.
“His game has risen to another level since he represented the Group. He’s really stepping up” Donnelly had played a lot of wing previously but moving him to fullback this season has worked well.
“He’s really nailed that spot,” Rampling added.
“He’s grown in confidence and was huge for us against West.”
Leading 18-14 at half time West scored again just after half time before the Bulldogs bit back in what Rampling thougt was a massive effort from a side missing a number of first graders including Trent Hilton, who is also co-leader of the NDL G$ B&F.
At Narrabri young Bears forward Jake Cocking was rewarded for another hard working effort when he also polled his first points of the season.
Narrabri second rower Brandon Tago also figured and grabbed his first points of the season with a big game for his Narrabri side who now head to Tamworth this Sunday to play Oxley Diggers in a double header with the West Lions/Wee Waa game.