Boggabri Kangaroos finish their season on a high with Boyde Campbell Cup win

By BLAKE JARRETT AND GEOFF NEWLING

There is no finals football for Boggabri and District Rugby League Football Club this season, however, a fired up Kangaroos first grade side finished the Group 4 Rugby League campaign on a huge high on Saturday when it took back the Boyde Campbell Cup.

The Boggabri men challenged local rivals Gunnedah Bulldogs away from home at Kitchener Park and outscored their opponents 10 tries to two and six conversions to two in a 52-12 win.

The Boyde Campbell Cup contest has been played since 2018, in loving memory of the late Boyde, who in 2017 tragically took his own life.

Boyde loved rugby league and lined up for Boggabri and Gunnedah in his playing days.

Thousands of dollars have since been raised for his sons, Arlie and Vann, as well as various mental health charities as a direct result of the annual clash.

Boggabri won the cup in 2021 when it beat Gunnedah for the first time in 57 years, however, the Bulldogs won it back last year.

But there was nothing stopping the Kangaroos on Saturday in round 14 as they recorded a 40-point mauling over their local rivals.

Gunnedah lost fullback Jonathan Crowe early in the game after he was sent off for a punch, and the away side took advantage of the extra player for 68 minutes of the game.

Centre duo Rob Doolan and Kaylan Murray scored two tries each for the second week in row as they continue to dominate for the Kangaroos, while skipper Matt Gillham and their fellow teammates Thomas Bruce, Nic Millar Cameron Kerr, Dylan Lake and Stino Penisoni all scored a try each.

Doolan kicked five conversions and Penisoni also knocked over one.

Kangaroos coach Shane Rampling was thrilled with the performance and the win, but reflected on the few missed opportunities that cost his men a spot in the finals series.

“A good way to finish the season,” he told Group 4 Media after the win.

“If we could have won three of those close games, Norths at Norths, Kooty and Moree at home, it would have made a difference.

“But we have improved this season.

“It was just a good way to finish with a big crowd here. They might have lost Jonathan Crowe in the first 10 minutes but to their credit they kept coming at us.

“We scrambled well in defence too and we snuffed out a lot of their chances too, and we did miss a few chances to score as well.

“All in all it was a good win.”

Boggabri finished the season ranked sixth on the ladder, just three points outside the top four.

Werris Creek claimed fourth spot with a narrow win against Narrabri on Sunday.

The Blues led 14-0 after 30 minutes away from home against the Magpies at David Taylor Oval, but Werris Creek fought back to go into half-time ahead 16-14.

The two sides were locked at 26-all with 10 minutes to go after Narrabri Blues captain-coach Josh Trindall’s dummy and slicing run through the defence had the game all square.

Narrabri needed a win to climb off the bottom of the table and above the seven-placed Gunnedah, however, the Magpies went over for the match-winner in the 73rd minute when Nathaniel Slater burst out of a tackle and race down the western sideline before flinging a one-handed pass back inside for halfback Dylan porter to grab and flick a quick pass to Nash Porter for the young pivot to dive over in the corner for the winning try.

“We made them work for it,” the Blues’ captain-coach Josh Trindall told Group 4 Media after the game.

Trindall was outstanding for his Blues, having a hand in almost every try and scoring a brilliant one himself.

At age 37 he has had a tough season in his first year as captain-coach and trying to mould a new side from a late start.

“It’s been a challenge,” he admitted.

“There’s been a lot of positives come out of the year.”

The Blues ended the season on two competition points, as did Gunnedah, after both sides scored one win during the 14-round campaign.

However, the Bulldogs’ for and against difference was just six points greater than Narrabri’s, so the Blues were forced to settle for last.

Above Gunnedah on 12 points were the Kangaroos, which finished on 14 points following seven wins and as many losses.

Moree finished on top of the table with 24 points after losing for just the second time on Saturday.

They were outscored 50-32 by the North Tamworth Bears, which ended the season in second on 20 points.

Those two teams will meet again on Saturday in Moree in the major semi-final.

Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters placed third on the ladder with 18 points as they came home strong with a 19-12 home ground win against Dungowan Cowboys on Saturday.

That loss saw the Cowboys remain on 16 points, one clear of the Magpies before they played on Sunday.

Dungowan needed Narrabri to win to remain fourth, but Werris Creek prevailed to scrape into the top four by a point.

The Roosters will host the Magpies in the minor semi-final on Sunday.