The sporting gods can be a cruel bunch at times.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Just ask the Walcha Rams.
After finishing atop the table in 2019, having lost only three matches all season, they then advanced to the grand final with a 20-17 major semi-final defeat of Narrabri.
On September 14, Walcha hosted Pirates in the grand final at a sun-drenched at Peter Fenwicke Oval.
Walcha's red and white army was out in force. This was surely going to be their year, they must have thought.
Read also:
Pirates, who were eyeing a fourth-straight premiers, had sneaked into the finals.
Walcha had been Pirates' victim in the previous two grand finals, but had beaten the Tamworth side twice in the 2019 regular season.
In the finale, Walcha led 18-5 at half-time.
With five minutes remaining in the match, the Rams led 24-19.
But then Andrew Collins crashed over with three minutes remaining.
Wes Rooney added the extras, and Pirates had again broken Walcha hearts - 26-24 the final score.
Post-match, Rams co-coach Barry Hoy said that of the three consecutive grand final losses, this one hurt the most.
"Because we've been playing such good footy through the year," he said.
"Probably we didn't play our best [in the grand final] but you can only play as well as you're allowed."
In her match report, the Leader's Samantha Newsam wrote: "The little moments cost Walcha as their premiership dream turned into another grand final nightmare at Peter Fenwicke Oval on Saturday.
"In a script reminisce of their 2012 [grand final] heartbreak, the Rams led for the majority of the game only to just fall short."
"Chasing their first premiership since 1997," she continued, "the Rams did get one final chance but turned the ball over."
"It probably summed up the difference between the two sides.
"As Rams co-coach Barry Hoy put it afterwards: Pirates 'don't make those mistakes'."
"Their third successive grand final loss to the now nine-times champions.
"The players were visibly gutted.
"The circumstances making this one that bit tougher to swallow."
It was a good Central North season.
Only 11 points separated Walcha and fifth-placed Moree.
Third-placed Gunnedah were eliminated by fourth-placed Pirates in the first week of the finals - the score 27-20.
After being edged by Walcha in the major semi, second-placed Narrabri were eliminated by Pirates in the preliminary final.
The score was 31-25. The remainder of the table was thus: Scone (sixth place), Barraba (seventh), Inverell (eighth) and Quirindi (ninth).
