While his former team were securing back-to-back New England titles, Jacob Booby was helping his current side keep their Central North premiership hopes alive.
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Part of last season’s premiership-winning St Alberts side, Booby has returned to his native Narrabri and was integral in the Blue Boars’ come-from-behind 22-18 finals triumph over Moree on Saturday.
He made the initial bust that led to centre partner Wade Maloney’s match-winning try as the Blue Boars earned a semi-final match-up with Gunnedah in Gunnedah this Sunday.
Amid the after-match celebrations, Booby’s thoughts diverted to how his former side had fared, conceding he would have loved to have been part of Albies grand final win over Robb College last Saturday.
A big part of that was the fact that they were playing their university foes.
Saturday was only the third time the two have played for the silverware.
Booby got to experience the Central North equivalent on Saturday, with Narrabri and Moree clashes commanding a similar significance.
Not many had given the Blue Boars much of a chance against the third-placed Bulls, after they scraped into the finals by virtue of winning tier two of the competition, but they again proved that form counts for little in encounters between the arch rivals.
A Blue Boars junior, Booby is also a handy league player and won a University Shield with Farrer in 2012.
He played three seasons with Albies, before deciding to head home after returning from a six-month agricultural exchange to America.
“It’s probably not as fast but everyone is probably a bit bigger,” he said comparing the two competitions.
“A few of my mates are playing in other teams so that’s been fun.”
He said there is a really good culture at the club and is enjoying playing alongside a few older Albies boys.
He has also enjoyed being part of a young and exciting Blue Boars backline. And although aged in his early 20s, he is one of the older heads in the backs.
They had a big challenge on Saturday against a considerably bigger Bulls backline.
“They were a pretty big team outwide. It was pretty hard work to start off with. We gave away a lot of penalties early,” Booby said.
It was only their steely defence that kept them in it.
He said Daniel Kahl’s try right on half-time was a big boost.
“That was the first time we’d really had the ball in good field position,” he said.
With their confidence high going into the second half, Booby said they knew they just had to keep chiseling away.
And while it did feel like they were on top for a lot of the second half, he said there were moments the game could have gone either way.
“That last 40 seconds was a little bit scary,” he said, in reference to the Bulls being on the attack.
But the Blue Boars’ defence rose to the occasion.
Booby marked Bulls dangerman Filimoni Navnea on Saturday, and he will have another big job on his hands on Sunday containing Aisea Raitala.
The winner will advance to play either Pirates or Walcha for a place in the grand final.
