DUNGOWAN Cowboys roped the Group 4 Shield double as the underdogs got up at Kootingal Oval on Saturday.
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The Dungowan Cowgirls got the ball rolling, defeating minor premiers Walcha 16-6 in the league tag before the Cowboys beat the previously unbeaten hosts 28-10.
There were ominous signs for the Cowboys early.
Josh Steel dropped the kick-off cold instead of undertaking his usual role of scoring first points, but it would be prop Scott Henry who would take that honour.
Captain and player of the final Matt Wilson made his first of several line breaks and found Henry on the inside to cross.
The hard-working prop also scored first in the second half to take the lead back.
The Dungowan plan was to hang on and absorb the Roosters for the first 20 minutes.
A dummy by Rooster dummy half Matt McCulloch sent the defence the wrong way and opened a gap for Ben Williams on the blind.
McCulloch then got at least three touches on one set, including the final one to score under the dot for a 10-6 halftime score.
“We were happy down 10-6 at halftime,” Wilson said.
“They had all the ball.”
In the second half, Dungowan led but was playing from its own half.
Kooty was going throughits sets but couldn’t pull the trigger.
A few balls kicked dead and forced passes missing the mark were testament to the pressure the Cowboys were pouring on.
Cowboys fullback Dylan O’Brien made a streaking run downfield at 12-10.
Two tackles later the ball went from the right sideline to the left corner for the Cowboys and finished with a Mitch Brown try.
A penalty shortly after put Dungowan more than a try ahead at 18-10 with only 10 to go.
A short kick-off by Kootingal backfired and handed Dungowan some free metres.
Wilson sliced through again five minutes later for Steel to get his try and the Cowboys had one hand on the shield.
A few minutes later winger Ethan Sherlock scored as the buzzer sounded on the season.
Cowboys coach Luke Taylor said the win epitomised what the Dungowan club is about.
“We just had to stay in touch with them early,” Taylor said.
“We knew we would come home strongly after that last month of footy.
“I couldn’t be prouder.”
It is sweet revenge for the club which can now close a chapter in its book.
In Dungowan’s inaugural year, 2001, the Cowboys had gone unbeaten all season before Kooty knocked them off at home in the final.
“Yeah – we got that one back on them,” Cowboys secretary Peter Blom said.