GUNNEDAH has once again ended the Narrabri Blues’ season after beating the minor semi-final hosts 36-22 in a game of two halves at Collins Park yesterday.
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Last year Gunnedah knocked Narrabri out in the preliminary final on their way to playing North Tamworth in the grand final.
Yesterday, Bulldogs flyer Kih McDonald opened the scoring at the 10- minute mark when he tiptoed along the sideline to score in the corner although it didn’t take long for the home side to hit back and gain the upper hand.
Kevin Condron found himself in space on the end of some brisk and flat Narrabri hands on the right fringe and evened the tally at 4-4 after 20 minutes.
All half the Blues looked dangerous through that right passage but were struggling to execute, turning over a lot of ball in the process as the two sides battled in the middle.
The Blues threw three passes deemed forward in the first half alone, while the Bulldogs’ scramble kept them in the game early before they turned it around just before the break.
Blues skipper Lachie Cameron stepped through the line to set up Jamie Sampson and a 10-4 lead just before the break, although Bulldogs fullback Aaron Donnelly managed to find the time to turn the game on its head with a piece of brilliance on the bell.
The wiry custodian ducked, weaved and stumbled his way through some heavy traffic to reach out and smash the ball down over the line off the back of a penalty and 70-metre Gunnedah charge, to swing the momentum in Gunnedah’s favour heading into the sheds.
Inspirational Bulldogs skipper Trent Hilton then took control of the match, opening the second half with a storming try for Gunnedah to take the lead for the first time, before leading the Bulldogs to victory with an unmatched individual performance.
Following that try the game all went Gunnedah’s way and the visitors took full advantage, capitalising with a string of tries, including two to centre Chris Rolinson, to lead 24-10 shortly after.
Narrabri hit back with a try of their own through Justin Knight, although it was Hilton who would again stretch the score out with a deft ball from first receiver to put Shannon Swan over untouched.
The two sides traded tries one more time before the whistle went on the Blues’ season.
“Defence is the key to finals and we won that on defence,” Hilton said.
“Six weeks ago we were written off but there is no secret to it.
“It’s just hard work and a bit of individual brilliance today.”
The skipper thought five-eighth Swan, halfback DJ Smith and fellow prop Danny Read were the pick while, for Narrabri, Cameron was relentless and Jake Rumsby and Jamie Sampson were also stand-outs.
Gunnedah will have a week off before playing the loser of next weekend’s Tamworth derby, where they will meet either minor premiers West Lions or reigning premiers North Bears.
It wasn’t all bad for Narrabri, with reserve grade beating Oxley Diggers 28-22 to progress, while Diggers hit back in the U18s with a two-point win over West Lions and Gunnedah beat the Lions 30-nil in the league tag.