A hooker in the same cut as Canterbury Bulldogs rake Michael Ennis, it was the local Bulldogs he was tormenting on Saturday as Dungowan finally beat Barraba 38-18 in the preliminary final on Saturday.

Collins perhaps played the most critical part in dethroning the lean Bulldogs squad by keeping the game at a frenetic pace for as long as he could.

“It was something we looked at during the week,” Collins said.

“It worked and the game really opened up for me at the end.”

After some very niggly and physical games in the recent past, this one had less niggle but the physicality was still there.

It looked as if both sides were too focused on going forward to get involved in the niggle and banter this week.

Collins, a regular expert at that sort of play, said he had learnt his lesson the previous games.

“I learnt not to retaliate and tried to focus on really speeding up the play of the ball,” Collins said.

Collins, captain Matt Wilson, fullback Ethan Sherlock, treasurer Peter Blom and president Bruce Henry all said at separate times that there was a really good feeling in the club last week leading up to the game.

While the feeling was good, the Cowboys pack was better.

Ben Tongue, Scott Henry, Justin Fox, Clint Ridley and the others beat Barraba at their own game and won the battle up front.

The prize, forward momentum and possession, which Matt Wilson and Brock Morgan converted into points.

“It is great tagging in behind that pack when they are like that,” Collins said.

Now the Cowboys are trying to take that momentum and winning feeling into next week’s grand final.

A very interesting match up will see Collins take on Kootingal hooker Matt McCulloch, arguably the Roosters best asset.

Another Rooster asset is Jordan Sharpe, a former team mate of Collins at Wests juniors.

“It’s good fun playing against him and just playing in the big games,” Collins said.

The last time the pair played together Wests won an undefeated minor premiership before being unceremoniously dumped out of the finals with two straight losses.

The disappointment of that season still sits with both players but only one will get to taste the joy that they have already come so close to but not touched, a premiership.

n Refrees appointments for this weekend’s Group 4 Grand Finals inSport Details.