GREATER Northern Tiger ladies’ league tag and men’s rugby league sides were bundled out of the AAMI Country Championships in semi-finals at Dubbo on Saturday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Peter Stevens-coached Tiger men lost 36-16 to the Greater Southern Stars after the women had suffered a last-minute loss to Central Coast at Apex Oval, Dubbo.
The Mick Schmiedel-coached Tiger women lost 16-11 after they had led 11-10 with just a few minutes go go.
A failed penalty goal attempt from Gunnedah’s Jess Baker enabled Central Coast to regain possession and move the ball back up the field and score with just 30 seconds remaining.
It was a cruel end for the Tiger women after they had come back from 10-4 down to score an equalising converted try and then a field goal to lead.
The story was much different for the Tiger men, who trailed 22-nil at half-time.
“We bombed a couple of chances just before half-time to score,” Stevens said.
“Then we scored a couple after the break and we were right back in it at 22-12.
“They scored again but our boys replied and we were still there at 26-16 with 20 to go.
“And we bombed a couple more chances as well.
“It was unfortunate but I’m proud of the way the boys hung in there in the first half.
“We made too many defensive errors in the first 15 or 20 minutes – missed too many one on one tackles.
“Down 22-nil, we could have laid down but we didn’t – we hung in there and fought back.
“We always knew we had points in us but we just didn’t have that polish to finish off a few moves.”
He said the loss of Inverell hooker Guy Mepham to a neck injury early in the first half meant a change, with five-eighth Scott Blanch going to number nine and Kieran Fisher coming off the bench into the halves for the majority of the game.
Fisher didn’t let Stevens down either.
“He was very good,” Stevens said.
“Very enthusiastic.
“And Scott did well at nine too.
“He got our players’ player and Daniel Ritter (captain) was outstanding again.
“He’s a very good player.
“Tim Watson was also very good at left second- rower.
“But they all tried hard and played some good footy.
“If we could have just had that first 20 minutes over again – that’s what cost us.”