TAMWORTH’S Men’s Over 50 Oztag players are now chasing a national title after they added a State of Origin title to their State Cup.
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The city’s outstanding Oztag side had won a State Cup earlier in the year in Tamworth to earn a berth in last weekend’s State Of Origin series against Queensland in Blacktown.
The Tamworth side beat Queensland in all three games of their series in a massive weekend played over a number of divisions and now starts preparations for a tilt at a national title in Coffs Harbour later in the year.
It would be the jewel in the crown for a Tamworth side skippered by former NRL, West Tamworth and Tamworth City rugby league star Michael “Dick” McKinnon.
He said Tamworth’s State of Origin series didn’t start too well in Blacktown either.
“We were down 4-1 in the first game,” he said.
“We had a shocker of a start. I didn’t make a tag either early.
“But we didn’t throw the towel in either.
“That’s the good thing about this side.
“They are all good blokes, all get along really well and showed a lot of character in that first game.”
Michael “Zipper” Gould showed the side the way back in that first game with a couple of tries to spark the side and enable it to go to the break down 4-3.
“We played a lot better in the second half and won 5-4,” McKinnon said
“Then we led 4-nil in the second game. They (Queensland) came back but we won 5-3 and then played really well in the third game, winning that 5-3.”
McKinnon said Gould was named the side’s MVP for the weekend.
“We had a lot of good players. Everyone played well but Zipper was a standout.
“ It was a big weekend for us and good reward for winning the State Cup.
“But our focus is now on the nationals in Coffs Harbour.”
While a great result for the side, he also said it was a good result for Tamworth Oztag and its administrator, Pam Potts.