Narrabri Touch hosts entertaining grand final evening at Cooma Oval | PHOTOS

Narrabri Touch’s 2022 season two competition came to an entertaining close on Monday evening following the grand finals of all four divisions at Cooma Oval.

Grumley Builders took on Lations in the A-grade men’s comp, Agies Ladies challenged the SPA Redbacks in the A-grade women’s comp, DTA Treated Timber Lumberjacks met Ballbusters in the B-grade men’s comp, and CBRE went head-to-head with Blue Birds in the B-grade women’s comp.

Grumley Builders, SPA Redbacks, Blue Birds and the Lumberjacks were all crowned champions after winning their respective deciders.

Both of the women’s games were nail-biters as the Redbacks downed Agies Ladies 3-2 and Blue Birds edged out CBRE 5-4.

The men’s games saw the Grumley Builders defeat Lations 7-3 and the Lumberjacks beat Ballbusters 10-4.

A-grade men’s grand final winners Grumley Builders - back, Tom Nolan, Luke Tuckey, Jacob Booby, Jydon Hill, Harry Pattison, Hamish Nolan, Nick Anderson, front, Hamish Duncan, Toby Keys, Nick Coffey, Felix Cobb-Johnson and Linton Grumley. A-grade men’s grand final winners Grumley Builders - back, Tom Nolan, Luke Tuckey, Jacob Booby, Jydon Hill, Harry Pattison, Hamish Nolan, Nick Anderson, front, Hamish Duncan, Toby Keys, Nick Coffey, Felix Cobb-Johnson and Linton Grumley.

A-grade women’s grand final winners SPA Redbacks - back, Miranda Hamilton, Elsie Ford, Asher Kelly, Tianne Parker, Tenayah Woodward, Shannon Rily, front, Tashanny Clark, Hayley Lang, Brooke Field, Shona McFarland and Emma John. A-grade women’s grand final winners SPA Redbacks - back, Miranda Hamilton, Elsie Ford, Asher Kelly, Tianne Parker, Tenayah Woodward, Shannon Rily, front, Tashanny Clark, Hayley Lang, Brooke Field, Shona McFarland and Emma John.

B-grade women’s grand final winners Blue Birds - back, Lillian McMillan, Carol Grant, Taneika Cochrane, Bec McMillan, Kristie Toomey, front, Mia Stewart, Rya Knox, Amanda Smith and Georgia Hardman. B-grade women’s grand final winners Blue Birds - back, Lillian McMillan, Carol Grant, Taneika Cochrane, Bec McMillan, Kristie Toomey, front, Mia Stewart, Rya Knox, Amanda Smith and Georgia Hardman.

B-grade men’s grand final winners DTA Treated Timber Lumberjacks - Clayton Pursche, Scott Purcell, Dylan Armitage, Morgan Jones, Rodney Dunlop, Todd Farrer, Chase Magner, Lachlann Thorn, Dylan Duncan and Matt McDonnell. B-grade men’s grand final winners DTA Treated Timber Lumberjacks - Clayton Pursche, Scott Purcell, Dylan Armitage, Morgan Jones, Rodney Dunlop, Todd Farrer, Chase Magner, Lachlann Thorn, Dylan Duncan and Matt McDonnell.

A-grade men’s grand final runners-up Lations - back, Declan Rooney, Jamarl Zarka, Jordan and Kynan Harvey, middle, Isaiah Cochrane, Clifford Toomey Junior, Jaylan Sharpley, Thomas Bruce, and front, Chris Condran. A-grade men’s grand final runners-up Lations - back, Declan Rooney, Jamarl Zarka, Jordan and Kynan Harvey, middle, Isaiah Cochrane, Clifford Toomey Junior, Jaylan Sharpley, Thomas Bruce, and front, Chris Condran.

A-grade women’s grand final runners-up Agies Ladies - back, Alisha Conomos, Alice Woodhill, Teagan Conomos, Megan Crutcher, Matilda Currey, front, Bella Cruickshank, Cathy Conomos and Krista Zarka. A-grade women’s grand final runners-up Agies Ladies - back, Alisha Conomos, Alice Woodhill, Teagan Conomos, Megan Crutcher, Matilda Currey, front, Bella Cruickshank, Cathy Conomos and Krista Zarka.

B-grade women’s grand final runners-up CBRE - back, Prue Lynch, Phoebe Nichols, Louisa Anderson, Sarah Hensley, Jess Craig, front, Jessica Scott, Mereka Gleeson, Emma McDonnell and Ashtine Nott. B-grade women’s grand final runners-up CBRE - back, Prue Lynch, Phoebe Nichols, Louisa Anderson, Sarah Hensley, Jess Craig, front, Jessica Scott, Mereka Gleeson, Emma McDonnell and Ashtine Nott.

B-grade men’s grand final runners-up Ballbusters - back, Paul Bushby, Dean Hancock, Colin Parkes, Scott Rickard, Rod Hall, Connor Parkes, Richard Whan, Murray Scott, front, Matt Hall, Jack Pixley, Geoff Artis and Ken Nolan. B-grade men’s grand final runners-up Ballbusters - back, Paul Bushby, Dean Hancock, Colin Parkes, Scott Rickard, Rod Hall, Connor Parkes, Richard Whan, Murray Scott, front, Matt Hall, Jack Pixley, Geoff Artis and Ken Nolan.

Narrabri Touch’s George Rose memorial trophy winner for men’s player of the season Tom Nolan (Grumley Builders). Narrabri Touch’s George Rose memorial trophy winner for men’s player of the season Tom Nolan (Grumley Builders).

Narrabri Touch’s women’s competition player of the season Emma McDonnell (CBRE). Narrabri Touch’s women’s competition player of the season Emma McDonnell (CBRE).

Narrabri Touch’s referee award winner Clayton Pursche, who also played for DTA Treated Timber Lumberjacks. Narrabri Touch’s referee award winner Clayton Pursche, who also played for DTA Treated Timber Lumberjacks.

Narrabri Touch’s men’s competition top try-scorer Cooper Brayshaw (Win Or Booze) and women’s competition top try-scorer Bella Cruickshank (Agies Ladies). Narrabri Touch’s men’s competition top try-scorer Cooper Brayshaw (Win Or Booze) and women’s competition top try-scorer Bella Cruickshank (Agies Ladies).

A-grade men’s grand final player-of-the-match Tom Nolan (Grumley Builders). A-grade men’s grand final player-of-the-match Tom Nolan (Grumley Builders).

A-grade women’s grand final player-of-the-match Emma John (SPA Redbacks). A-grade women’s grand final player-of-the-match Emma John (SPA Redbacks).

B-grade men’s grand final player-of-the-match Matt McDonnell (DTA Treated Timber Lumberjacks). B-grade men’s grand final player-of-the-match Matt McDonnell (DTA Treated Timber Lumberjacks) in action last year.

B-grade women’s grand final player-of-the-match Rya Knox (Blue Birds). B-grade women’s grand final player-of-the-match Rya Knox (Blue Birds).

The A-grade women’s match was the main event on Monday, played in the third and final timeslot of the evening as a standalone game.

The two sides certainly delivered as they produced one of the games of the season.

Agies Ladies went into the match as the favourites, having lost just once in almost four years since they went down 2-0 to Redbacks in the 2017/18 campaign A-grade women’s decider back on Monday, April 9 in 2018.

However, the Redbacks were quite determined to make the most of their first grand final appearance since the 2018/19 campaign, and they came out firing as they crossed for the first try through Shona McFarland.

It took just 90 seconds for the side to score that try and it came off the back of a piece of Tashanny Clark brilliance after the youngster charged out of dummy half close to the line and went through a hole in the defence and into the in-goal before throwing a pass to McFarland, who got the ball to the ground a fraction of a second before Agies Ladies’ Alice Woodhill could make the tag.

Agies Ladies thought they had a try in the ninth minute when Teagan Conomos threw a pass to her mum, Cathy Conomos, close to the line who went over to slam the ball down. However, a no-try was signalled due to an earlier infringement made by the Redbacks that had been called.

A minute later, the Redbacks scored to make the score 2-0. Brooke Field charged out of dummy half 20 metres out and went through a hole before passing to Emma John, who scored her first try of the day and doubled her side’s advantage.

That became 3-0 in the 18th minute when the SPA Redbacks scored in a similar fashion to their first two tries, a dart out of dummy half through a hole and then finding a supporting player to score. This time it was Hayley Lang, who produced a sensational pick up close to the line and ran into the in-goal before passing to John, who juggled the ball but managed to catch it and then ground it.

The SPA Redbacks’ focus turned to defending their three-try lead, and they managed to do that until the 25th minute as Agies Ladies’ pressure finally turned into points when Alisha Conomos crossed to score.

Two minutes later, the score became 3-2 when Teagan Conomos produced one of the plays of the game for Agies Ladies with a phenomenal pass to her mum Cathy, who had made a brilliant wrap-around run and then caught the pass and scored.

The score was still 3-2 when the final siren sounded and Agies Ladies had the ball deep in their half. They were determined to score an equalising try, but Lang made the tag that brought the contest to a close and saw the SPA Redbacks become champions.

The A-grade men’s competition final was also played as a standalone game in the second timeslot of the evening.

Narrabri Touch powerhouses, the Grumley Builders, won their fourth consecutive grand final in that game as they beat Lations 7-3.

The Lations players came out firing, and they showed more energy than their more experienced opponents early in the contest, which led to the first try of the match in the second minute when Chris Condran dived over the line.

Grumley Builders’ Jydon Hill scored a try to equalise for his side in the 10th minute, but Lations hit the lead again when Clifford Toomey Junior scored in the next set to make the score 2-1.

The tries continued to pile on when Tom Nolan made a quick dart out of dummy half in the 14th minute close to the line, creating a two-on-one and passing just before he was tagged to Hill who scored in the left corner to level the score at two apiece.

Hill then turned provider just two minutes later when he caught a pass close to the line down the right edge and showed quick hands to pass the ball to Harry Pattison who went over in the corner to make the score 3-2.

That became 3-all on the 18-minute mark when Isaiah Cochrane dived over to score following an exchange of passes between himself and Toomey Junior close to the line.

Lations were superb during the first 20 minutes of the match, however, the final 10 minutes belonged to the Grumley Builders who showed their class as they ran in four tries.

Nolan made a charging run out of dummy half close to the line and into in-goal on the 20-minute mark and threw a long pass to Nick Coffey, who had run into the right corner and was unmarked. Coffey caught the ball well above his head after leaping high, and he was able to ground it and make the score 4-3.

He then scored in almost identical fashion in the 23rd minute, and this time it was Linton Grumley who made the darting run out of dummy half and into the in-goal before providing the assist.

That made the score 6-3 after Hill had just crossed for the third of his hat-trick in between those two Coffey tries.

Hill had his hand in another try just before full time when he caught a Toby Keys pass close to the line and again showed quick hands, this time passing to Tuckey who went over in the left corner.

That was the final try of the game as the Grumley Builders celebrated a 7-3 win.

Earlier in the evening, the B-grade grand finals were played side-by-side in the opening timeslot.

Matt McDonnell scored the first try of the men’s B-grade decider to put the DTA Treated Timber Lumberjacks ahead 1-0.

McDonnell went on to score three more tries in that match as he finished with four in the side’s 10-4 victory.

Teammate Chase Magner starred as well with a hat-trick, and Morgan Jones, Scott Purcell and Clayton Pursche also scored a try each.

Ballbusters’ Ken Nolan bagged two of his side’s four tries, and the other two were scored by Connor Parkes and Richard Whan.

The B-grade women’s final between CBRE and the Blue Birds was a much closer game.

Both sides led at several stages throughout the contest after CBRE’s Mereka Gleeson opened the scoring, and the leading margin was never greater than two tries.

The score was locked at 4-all until there were four minutes left on the clock when Rya Knox made a dazzling run down the left wing and scored the match-winner in the corner for Blue Birds.

That was her third of the match, and the team’s other two tries were scored by Kristie Toomey and Mia Stewart.

CBRE’s Gleeson went over twice for her side, and her teammates Emma McDonnell and Ashtine Nott scored a try each.

To conclude the evening, Narrabri Touch hosted its 2022 season two presentation.

Four players earned grand final player-of-the-match honours. The player of the A-grade men’s decider was Grumley Builders’ Tom Nolan and the player of the A-grade women’s final went to SPA Redbacks’ Emma John. DTA Treated Timber Lumberjacks’ Matt McDonnell was named player of the men’s B-grade final, while Blue Birds’ Rya Knox picked up the player of the ladies’ B-grade final.

There were also a number of awards handed out for players’ and referees’ efforts throughout the competition.

Wayne Nott, Matt Roberts and Pat Mowle were each acknowledged for their commitment to the sport as non-playing referees.

Clayton Pursche, who played for the B-grade men’s champs DTA Treated Timber Lumberjacks, was awarded the referee encouragement award.

The ladies’ player of the season went to CBRE’s Emma McDonnell and the George Rose memorial trophy for the men’s player of the season was won by Grumley Builders’ Tom Nolan.

There were also awards presented to the top try-scorers for the season, who were Cooper Brayshaw (Win Or Booze) in the men’s competition and Bella Cruickshank (Agies Ladies) in the women’s competition.