Barraba withstood a valiant late Tamworth surge at Ken Chillingworth Oval on Saturday to claim the their maiden U16s premiership.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Rams were given a scare, when from 10-nil up at half-time they found themselves clinging to a one-point lead with two-and-a-half-minutes remaining, and with the Magpies storming home. But despite incurring a couple of penalties they held the Magpies out to get home 15-14.
“They hung in there,” Rams coach Michael Rixon said.
Nathan Watts had got the Magpies back in the game with around 20 minutes to go, but a great run from Rams centre Luke Howes, in which he pushed off at least two Tamworth defenders, restored some semblance of an advantage for them.
But the Magpies continued to press, and eventually that pressure paid off with Jake Urquhart barging his way over to, with the conversion, make it a one point game.
The game had a bit of everything, with both sides having players red-carded. The Magpies lost Sam Gray 18 minutes into the first half. Three minutes into the second the Rams found themselves down to 14 with number eight Sean Campbell red-carded.
Rixon felt it changed the momentum a bit. A few “silly penalties” also swayed the momentum a bit.
As a result after controlling a lot of the first half they had to do a lot of defending in the second half, particularly in the latter stages.
“They seemed to have the majority of the ball in our half towards the end,” Rixon said.
“We had some good defence on our line.”
Generally they did defend well, as they did all season.
“It’s probably been a strong point,” he said.
He said the conditions probably didn't suit the open style of game they like to play.
Even still they did play some good football in the first half.
“We controlled the ball well in the first 15. Then the errors started creeping in,” he said.
Howes was named player of the grand final and was strong in the centres alongside Jacob Williams. Skipper Hagan Size and Taine Nash also had strong games.
Magpies co-coach Bernie Williams “loved” their second half.
“It was a very inspiring second half,” he said.
They controlled the game a lot better and held the ball a bit better. Time just probably got the better of them.
Losing their “directors of operations” in Gray and five-eighth AJ Pretorius set them back early, with Pretorious knocked out in the first half.
“That's out two tactical weapons,” Williams said.
“But the boys banded together.”
It just took them a while to adjust.
Sam Buster stepped into the five-eighth void and did a good job. The forwards also really stepped up, he said.