Rob Doolan stars for the Boggabri Kangaroos in round one

Rob Doolan starred for Boggabri and District Rugby League Football Club when the green and gold Roos blitzed the Narrabri Blues in the first half of their Group 4 Rugby League first grade season opener on Saturday, April 9.

The Kangaroos converted what was a comfortable 30-4 lead into a 40-22 win on home soil at Jubilee Oval to win the local derby against their close neighbours and rocket the club into a higher orbit.

Doolan, 28, was one of the engineers of the upset win over his former club and last season’s minor premiers.

Doolan received three points in the Group 4 best and fairest award after making numerous breaks, setting up Josh Trindall for the side’s opening try and then kicking six conversions from seven attempts.

He is in his second season with the Boggabri club after transferring from Narrabri, where he was the second grade fullback up until 2019.

Boggabri coach Shane Rampling has fashioned Doolan into a centre, something he doesn’t mind.

“Just getting the ball in my hands, that’s the thing,” Doolan said after his 12-point game.

“It’s a great start to the season,” he added of the 40-22 win.

“We kicked off really well.”

He said the Roos clocked off for a while in the second half but “kept it cool” when they weathered the Blues fightback and posted two late tries.

“Should have been my third season here,” he added of a year deleted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He thought he and his teammates needed a good, hard game to kick off with and they got it.

“We’ve just got to keep going now,” he said.

While he received the three points, goalkicking Narrabri halfback Todd Nichols earned the two points and Boggabri debutant Cameron Kerr was awarded the one.

Kerr, 20, is playing in his first season for a few years.

He made an impact on the edges for the Roos and will only improve as he slips back into a football frame of mind that was schooled so well at Farrer.

Boggabri Kangaroos will play their second game of the season at Jubilee Oval on Saturday when they host the Dungowan Cowboys, a team that is also coming off a round one win.