Brave Kangaroos fall just short against the 2024 minor premiers at Jubilee Oval

A second-place finish is now out of the Boggabri and District Rugby League Football Club first grade side’s grasp following their 38-32 defeat against the minor premiers Moree at Jubilee Oval on Sunday, but the Kangaroos have taken plenty of confidence out of their brave performance as they look to wrap up third place when they line up in the final round this weekend.

The home side played 51 minutes of the round 17 clash with 12 men after Iliasa Kalokalodrau was sent off in the first half for a dangerous high tackle. That incident also saw the visitors reduced to 12 men, but only for 10 minutes as Brenton Cochrane was sin-binned for dissent.

Boggabri led 16-10 at that stage and defended the following set on their line before earning a 20-metre restart and charging down the other end of the field to score through centre Pita Rogosau and go in front 20-10.

That was Boggabri’s fourth of the day after winger Josefa Tiko-Goneduadua crossed in the 12th and 15th minutes and Ash White converted one of those to cancel out Jake Tighe’s double for Moree inside the first 10 minutes and Adrian Smith’s conversion, before the Kangaroos halfback Andrew Wallace scored in the 20th-minute and White converted it.

Tighe completed his hat-trick in the 34th minute and the Boars’ other winger Dereik Newman then scored on the stroke of half-time. Smith converted the latter of those tries to send the sides into the break locked at 20-all.

Moree centre Mark Pegus dealt the first blow of the second stanza with a try in the 44th minute that Smith converted, but Boggabri levelled the score up at 26-all in the 50th minute when Tiko-Goneduadua completed his hat-trick and White successfully added the extras. That try was one of the best of the day as the in-form winger charged onto a bouncing ball after Wallace had placed a perfect chip kick over the top of the Moree defence, before collecting it and rounding Newman to score next to the right post.

Newman was able to make amends two minutes later when he ran onto a cutout pass thrown by his halfback Michael Watton and raced over in the left corner before squaring up inside to give Smith a simple conversion, which the fullback kicked to make the score 32-26.

Watton set up another try on the hour mark when he turned a pass inside to Cochrane to give him a one-on-one opportunity 20 metres out, and the explosive centre needed no second invitation as he charged away to score between the sticks. Smith kicked his fifth conversion of the day to make the score 38-26, but that 12-point lead was cut to six with eight minutes to go when Rob Doolan caught a cutout ball close to the line thrown by five-eighth Isaiah Adams and went over in the right corner, and White slotted the conversion from the sideline.

The home side forced three mistakes out of Moree during the final seven minutes of the match but they were unable to capitalise despite throwing everything they had left at the Boars as the visitors held on to win 38-32.

That the Kangaroos did not concede against the first-placed team during the final 20 minutes despite being a man down proved that they belong in the top-four this season and will be a danger team when the finals begin on August 24, provided they get the job done at home against Dungowan this Saturday.

Boggabri’s coach Shane Rampling was proud of his men for competing until the final whistle sounded while matching it with the back-to-back minor premiers, and acknowledged that their brilliant efforts could see them finish third or fourth on for and against difference.

“It could prove vital,” Rampling told Group 4 Media.

“If we’d have got beaten by a heap of points, we’d be behind. And we played some good footy today too.

“I’m proud of the boys to play with 12 men for 51 minutes and only lose by six points.

“All in all, the boys tried hard, played hard. To get that close with 12 men against the competition leaders was massive.

“We’ve got Dungowan here (at home at Jubilee Oval) next week. That’s our Multicultural Day too.”

The Kangaroos dropped from third to fourth following the round 17 loss after Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters beat North Tamworth Bears 36-18 at Jack Woolaston Oval on Saturday to rise to third.

The Kangaroos, Roosters and Bears all entered the weekend locked on 23 points, and the Roosters are now on 25.

Boggabri can still finish third if they beat Dungowan at home in round 18 on Saturday and the Roosters lose away against Gunnedah on Sunday.

Other round 17 matches were won by Werris Creek and Gunnedah, who both prevailed away from home. The Magpies outscored Dungowan 46-20 on Saturday before Gunnedah scored their second mercy rule win in as many weeks when they took down Wee Waa 60-0 on Sunday.

Narrabri Blues had the round 17 bye and climbed above Wee Waa into eighth, leaving Wee Waa in last place with a game to go. Narrabri now have six points and Wee Waa remained on five ahead of those two sides’ round 18 derby at Collins Park this Sunday, in which the wooden spoon is on the line.

In the other games played at Jubilee Oval in round 17 on Sunday, Boggabri went down 48-8 in reserve grade and 20-8 in ladies league tag. The Kangaroos are fifth in reserve grade and last in ladies league tag and are out of finals contention in both of those grades.