INVERELL will dust itself off from a double Moree assault and throw everything at the Group 19 grand final on Sunday after running riot in the preliminary final at Varley Oval.
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After losing the major semi- final to the Boomerangs, the Hawks showed no signs of giving up on the title with a 64-10 tonking of the Boars on Sunday that left coach Peter Stevens a much happier camper.
“Our control was good, our shape was good,” he said.
“I thought Luke and Jake Deaves had big games on the left edge up against (Brenton) Cochrane and co.
“And our front rowers were very good.
“I thought we could get Moree but I wasn’t expecting that.”
The other player the coach listed for praise was flying winger Harold Duncan, who kept up his remarkable scoring record in finals with three on Sunday.
Jake Deaves finished with two and seven other Hawks swooped on the try line.
A number of tries came directly or indirectly off the boot of hooker Guy Mepham as Inverell tormented Moree down the attacking right side in the first half.
In the second half, it was the Inverell left edge that dominated as the blind side proved a fruitful avenue.
Stevens is now aiming to end his recent run of losses against the Boomies in deciders, having suffered defeat with Gwydir two years ago and with the Hawks last year.
“Hopefully it’s third time lucky,” he said.
“We’re pretty sore after last week and this week and it’s never easy out at Moree, especially in a big game like this.”
Meanwhile the Boars were left smarting by the defeat.
They had no answers to the Inverell onslaught.
“Their forwards laid the platform for them,” coach Trevor Tighe said.
“They’re a side that does the simple things right and it worked for them all day.
“We played frustration football and it didn’t work for us.”
Tighe said he wouldn’t be putting his hand up to coach again next year but is pleased with the club’s progress since joining Group 19.
A third place finish is the best the Boars have done in any competition since their 2004 grand final loss to Wee Waa in Group 4.
“Last year we just wanted to finish off the bottom and we missed the finals,” he said.
“This year we’ve had some bad games but it’s been a good year and we’ve just come up one game short.
“The girls are in the grand final and we had all four teams in the first week of the semis.
“We worked hard to stay in there but they were too good today.”
Among Moree’s best were Stan Swan, Marshall Barker and skipper Ben Williams, who tried all day.