Junior Blue Boars teams ready for grand final

Narrabri Junior Rugby Club is celebrating an outstanding season in its youth competition with two teams to take the field in tomorrow night’s grand final.

The junior Blue Boars will line up in the open girls and under-16 boys’ games.

Both teams had thrilling wins in the recent major semi-final, earning the first grand final spots available.

The open girls were successful against minor premiers Tamworth, winning 49–17.

The under-16 boys defeated Moree 35–31.

Girls’ coach Denis Harvey has praised the team’s efforts at training sessions throughout the year as well as their strength and determination.

Harvey said he could sense weeks ago that the girls saw an opportunity to be part of something special.

“I told them it was in their hands,” he said.

“You could see a team that has potential to win a championship.

“I said that had to come from within.”

Narrabri Junior Rugby Club will also contest the open girls’ grand final. Back, Denis Harvey (coach), Kirra Mason, Cassidy Welsh, Ruby Clayton, Josie Harvey, Taylor Horne, Aleira Sunderland, Sienna Earle, Paganne Ryman, Emily Simpson, Louise Tout (manager), front, Mia Kiem, Holly Anderson, Charlie Tout, Georgia Horne (c), Lara Eather, Eva Goodwin, Millie Crossing and Brielle Bourke.

Harvey has praised the team’s growth throughout the season.

“I feel like I’m coaching a much older team than they actually are,” he said.

“A team like this comes once only every four to five years.”

Harvey is thrilled the girls get to experience what it feels like to compete in a grand final.

Last week, they conducted their regular training session out at Wee Waa.

Harvey said the team had shown up consistently throughout the year for sessions and had endured the travelling that comes with being part of the competition.

Harvey said the girls had done this without complaint.

“We’re very proud of the team,” he said.

Boys’ coach Chris Booby praised the determination of the team, particularly their growth in the past three seasons.

“They’ve been really keen all year,” he said, acknowledging that they had been training since March.

Booby said that their hard work had paid off, earning the boys a spot in the grand final.

Similar to the girls, the boys also knocked off this year’s minor premiers to earn their spot in the big dance.

“This is the culmination of a lot of hard work by them,” Booby said.

“They’re only 16 years old. For them, this will be the pinnacle of their time in rugby so far.”

Booby also thanked the boys’ parents and families for the effort they put in.

With only two local games part of the fixture, a fair amount of travel is involved.

Booby acknowledged that for many parents, this also meant time away from work.

As recently reported by The Courier, the junior Blue Boars have been undergoing an exciting period of growth and success, particularly in the youth competition which bridges the gap between junior football and the adult competition.

For the boys’ team, this success has been building over successive seasons.

In the past three years, the boys have gone from missing the finals to playing last year.

This year, they stepped up a notch further.

“The boys are a bit more mature and level-headed now,” Booby said.

The boys will play Moree while the girls will face Inverell, both at Central North Junior Rugby Union grand final at Tamworth’s Scully Park on Friday afternoon.