Narrabri Touch’s 2023 season men’s competition has entered the graded rounds after their nine-week regular season wrapped up last week.

The 10 teams were split into two five-team grades for the run home, which were based off their ladder standings after the nine rounds.

Lations finished first on 27 points following an undefeated ungraded campaign that included nine wins and no draws or losses.

They piled on a competition-best 80 tries and conceded a joint-best 28 to finish with an impressive difference of 52.

Second-placed Grumley Builders and third-placed Wilga Pelicans both finished five points behind Lations on 22 points after they both won six games, drew one and lost two.

A point behind them on 21 were Win Or Booze, who won five games, drew two and lost two, while Gee Bangers were the fifth-placed side with 19 points following five victories and four losses.

Those five teams make up A-grade, while the teams ranked sixth to 10th are the B-grade sides.

They include Cougars, Ballbusters, DTA Timber Lumberjacks, NFC and Namoi Brothers, respectively.

The men’s teams will contest five rounds of graded matches ahead of the finals campaign, which will see all teams play against their respective opponents once each.

In round one this week on Monday night, Lations extended their 2023 win streak to 10 matches when they downed Gee Bangers 11-6 to finish the night in outright first place on the A-grade ladder.

Clifford Toomey Junior, Chris Clark, Isaiah Cochrane and Josh Trindall all bagged doubles for Lations, and their teammates Brenton Cochrane, Jaylan Sharpley and Declan Rooney crossed for a try each.

Sam Sadler went in for four of Gee Bangers’ six tries, while Blake Brown and Blake Hilderson scored the other two.

The other men’s A-grade match was a 3-all draw between Win Or Booze and Wilga Pelicans.

Lachlan Ford, Keegan Richardson and Sam Carberry all scored a try each for Win Or Booze, while Jacob Nichols, Todd McFetridge and JessO’Neil went over for Wilga Pelicans’ tries.

Defending champions the Grumley Builders sat out with the round one bye on Monday.

The men’s B-grade games were won by NFC and DTA Timber Lumberjacks.

NFC established themselves at the top of the ladder with an emphatic 11-4 victory against Namoi Brothers.

Seamus Hunt starred with five tries for NFC, while Connor Cassidy bagged a double for the winners and teammates Brett Allison and Bernard and Baxter Gabbott went over for a try each.

Lucas Summers-Lawler scored two tries for Namoi Brothers, while Callum Lawler and Mark Boney went in for one each.

In a much closer game, the DTA Timber Lumberjacks edged out the Ballbusters 4-2.

Cooper Brayshaw scored a hat-trick of tries for the Lumberjacks and their other try-scorer was Clayton Pursche.

Matt Hall and Paul Bushby went in for Ballbusters.

Cougars had the round one bye in the men’s B-grade competition.

The ladies’ A-grade comp’s minor premiership battle looks set to go down to the wire as three teams sit on equal points on the four-team ladder following three rounds of action.

SPA Redbacks scored a narrow 5-4 victory over Bluebirds on Monday, while Twisted Blistered forfeited to Specialised Quarries and Concrete.

Specialised Quarries and Concrete Twisted Blisters and the Redbacks are ranked first to third, respectively, but all sit on seven points after three rounds following two wins and one loss each, while Bluebirds are last as they continue to search for their first A-grade victory.

CBRE leads the way in the ladies’ B-grade competition after they scored their third straight win on Monday as they downed Wilga Westies 3-0.

The other match saw Hounddogs finish the night in second after they won by a forfeit against Touch n Go.

Hounddogs have won twice and lost once, while Touch n Go are third with one win and two losses.

Fourth-placed Wilga Westies are yet to win in the B-grade competition.

Monday’s matches were the last to be played under lights at Hogan and Leitch Ovals this year.

With daylight saving starting this weekend, the next games on Monday, October 9, will be played at Cooma Oval.

There will be no matches played on the public holiday this Monday.

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