Written by Group 4 Rugby League’s Geoff Newling
What a game.
Boggabri Kangaroos created their own slice of rugby league history with a pulsating, come-from-behind 26-20 extra time win in Saturday’s Group 4 Rugby League first grade preliminary final against Werris Creek at David Taylor Park.
In front of a huge crowd, the 2024 Kangaroos hopped into history when they became the first Roos side to beat Werris Creek in the Magpies’ nest. Never had they beaten the Magpies at Werris Creek, even leading 20-nil one day yet still being run down.
Not so Saturday.
Boggabri led 6-0 early and 12-6 after winger Josefa Goneduadua had gone in for two flashing tries, yet they went into half-time down 14-12 and were trailing 20-12 four minutes into the second half when Harlee Millgate ran into a hole and received a perfect pass from Mitch Doring to score.
However, the Roos might have been down but they weren’t out.
Robert Doolan and Matt Gillham went close to scoring for the away side before outstanding prop Nic Millar crashed over beside the posts in the 71st minute for Ash White to convert.
White added another penalty goal as Magpies hooker Dylan Porter was adjudged to have made a professional foul in tackling a Roo attacker before he received the ball. White calmly potted the goal to send the game into extra time after Porter had been sent to the sin bin.
The sideline conversion of a Doolan try in the corner five minutes into the first period of extra time was the icing on the cake for what was a 26-20 win.
“What a game,” Boggabri’s coach Shane Rampling told Group 4 Media.
“Great game. But we still made some silly mistakes in the first half.
“Unbelievable, really. To get this little club and town to a grand final. We’ve had a lot of hard years and to actually get there is dumbfounding.
“Brilliant, bloody brilliant. The green and gold. Just love it.
“The boys kept turning up today but we’ve got to be better next week.
“The effort from the boys today was unbelievable. I thought we had blown our chances when we dropped the ball in scoring chances. But the effort and spirit in these boys is amazing.
“I was confident we could win it if we got in the grind. Doring (Mitch) and Hadden (Ronin) were dangerous and we couldn’t afford to go to sleep.
“We defended really well too and just ran straight and hard.
“It’s unbelievable but we’ve got a big week ahead of us.
“Sure we’ve got a few bumps and bruises, but we will enjoy it and look forward to it.”
He said the Werris Creek crowd was “great” and “the atmosphere was great too”.
“We’ve just never won here before. The boys have been ticking boxes all year,” Rampling added.
“Done a great job for a little club.
“We’ll make sure we give Moree a good run too. We’ve got to go out there and play footy.”
The Roos had plenty of stars on the day. White had one of his best games and the fullback made some silky-smooth catches to defuse bombs and grubber kicks.
Centre Pita Rigosau was huge, his explosive running part of some of the side’s brilliant plays, and lean winger Goneduadua also set the field alight with his pace.
Prop Nic Millar was a force in the middle, with skipper Matt Gillham and halfback Andrew Wallace also controlling the Roos assaults.
Doolan was another threat all game at centre.
The Roos now play Moree in this Saturday’s grand final at Boughton Oval in a hope of winning their first Group 4 Premiership since 1964.
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Other winners on Saturday were Werris Creek in reserve grade, the Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters in under-18s, and the North Tamworth Bears in ladies league tag.
The league tag match got the day off and running, and the minor premiers defeated Werris Creek 20-10. That saw them go through to Saturday’s final in Moree where they will line up against major semi-final winners Kootingal-Moonbi.
The third-placed Roosters beat the second-placed Magpies 22-18 in the under-18s to join minor premiers and major semi-final winners Dungowan in their decider.
All four Werris Creek sides were in action on home soil, and the only one that got the job done was the reserve grade side, which came from the third spot on the ladder to beat the minor premiers Moree 24-14 to join second-placed side Dungowan in the grand final.
Saturday’s kick-off times at Boughton Oval are 10am for ladies league tag, 11.30am for the under-18s, 1.15pm for reserve grade and 3.05pm for first grade.
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