Rumsby issues challenge after Narrabri Blues go top of the table

The Narrabri Blues are on top of the Group 4 Rugby League first grade ladder and with three rounds left to play the side’s captain-coach Jake Rumsby has issued a challenge to his men – “stay there”.

Narrabri Rugby League Football Club hosted the Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters in round 11 at Collins Park on Sunday where the two clubs went head-to-head in a highly-anticipated top-of-the-table first grade clash.

The Blues entered the match in second place, just one point behind the Roosters, and the Narrabri men got the job done with a 20-8 victory which was built off the back of a phenomenal defensive display.

The Blues did trail at several stages throughout the match but limited the Roosters to just two tries across 80 minutes of tough, hard rugby league.

The hosts led for the entire final half an hour as a loud home crowd cheered their side home to victory.

The determined Kootingal side threw everything at the Blues, but whether it was the home side’s forward pack weathering the storm on their own tryline or centre Hayden Bell dragging a Kootingal attacker 10 metres to throw him over the sideline at the other end of the field, Narrabri outclassed the Roosters defensively which the visitors’ coach Geoff Sharpe conceded to Group 4 Media after the match.

At the other end of the field, Rumsby scored Narrabri’s first try of the contest in the 24th minute after the captain-coach returned from a short spell on the sideline where he required his shoulder to be put back in place after it popped out in the first five minutes of the match.

That made the score 6-4 to the visitors after Kyle Cochrane’s sixth-minute opening try was converted by Kootingal halfback Sam Taylor.

Bell then put the Blues ahead 8-6 after running 40 metres to score Narrabri’s second try of the day which was the way the score remained at half-time.

Just as they did in the first half, Kootingal scored early in the second stanza. Five-eighth Jordan Sharpe crossed for that four-pointer and Taylor added the extras off the boot to make the score 12-8.

But the Blues regrouped and evened the score just three minutes later.

The hosts went 70 metres after fullback Damon Gleeson collected a kick on his own 20-metre line and charged upfield to get the set off to a dominant start before the forwards battled to get their side within striking distance. Halfback Toby Bentley bombed on the last and the Roosters spilt the ball which was scooped up by Mark Patterson. The right winger charged at the defence and, after being tackled, jumped up for a quick play-the-ball which gave Narrabri a chance to attack the short side down the right edge where it had an overlap. The Blues made the most of the chance and Bell went over for his second try of the day to make the score 12-all.

Narrabri regained the lead in the 50th minute when Jacob Nichols scooped up the ball out of dummy half 10 metres in from the left sideline and two metres out from the tryline before going down the blind side and diving over to score.

His brother Todd Nichols put three earlier misses behind him and slotted the conversion to make the score 18-12.

Kootingal was temporarily reduced to 12 players with 26 minutes to go when Cochrane was sin-binned for a professional foul in the ruck, then a minute later both sides had a player each sent for 10 after Kootingal’s Josh Kevill was penalised for a spear tackle and Narrabri’s Daniel Jobson retaliated.

The away side’s ill-discipline cost them again on the hour-mark when they gifted Narrabri a penalty 10 metres out from their line and the Blues took the two to extend their lead to eight as Todd Nichols made it 20-12.

Neither side was able to add to the scoreline in the final 20 minutes as the Blues held on to secure their ninth win from as many matches this season and their sixth on home soil from as many attempts.

Gun back-rower Sam Sadler had another impressive outing for the Blues and earned the three Group 4 best and fairest points while Patterson picked up one for his role in the win.

It was a victory that impressed Rumsby who was thrilled with the way his side played with key players including Dennis Gordon, Caleb Binge, Brodie Rumsby and Mitch Dening all missing and Daniel Howe (thumb) and Chris Hunt (groin) being forced off during the match.

“We showed that Blues spirit that we’d been missing the past couple of games,” Rumsby told The Courier.

“We knew it’d be tough out there, it was always going to be hard against Kootingal but we wanted to show again what we can do with our home ground advantage and to say ‘this team doesn’t lose at home’.

“The boys showed a lot of heart today. We had one on the bench from 20 minutes in after we’d already lost three at training on Friday.

“We knew it’d be backs to the wall stuff with Kootingal at full strength but we got the job done.

“It was a great team effort out there and there were a lot of great individual efforts too.

“We knew the importance of this game. We go to number one now but now we have to stay there.

“It’s 31 years since Narrabri’s been minor premiers, they were minor premiers in 1990 when they won the comp.

“We win our last three games and we will be minor premiers too.”

The Blues were the only first grade side to win at home in round 11. The third-placed North Tamworth Bears outscored Boggabri 68-16 at Jubilee Oval to move to just two competition points behind the Roosters, while fourth-placed Moree Boars won 24-6 at Dungowan to stay two points behind the Bears.

Gunnedah Bulldogs kept their slim finals chance alive when they snapped a six-game losing streak by downing Werris Creek 34-22.

The Blues will take on the Bulldogs in Gunnedah this Saturday in round 12, while Werris Creek hosts Boggabri and Kootingal hosts Dungowan. On Sunday, Moree Boars are at home to North Tamworth.

In the other round 11 games played at Collins Park on Sunday, the Blues’ reserve grade side scored its fourth win of the season and its third in as many matches when it downed third-placed Kootingal 28-8, while the club’s under-18s side went down 32-22 and the ladies’ league tag team was beaten 68-0.

In reserve grade, Narrabri led 16-8 at half-time after Metiusela Mapili, Trent Keeler and Joel Hogan all crossed for first half tries.

Daniel O’Connor and Kurt Wallace both went over in the second stanza.

Rodney Lamb kicked three goals and Kaleb Mowle added one as the hosts scored a 20-point win.