Tough pill to swallow as Kangaroos lose in golden point

Boggabri Kangaroos suffered one of the more frustrating losses they have had to endure in recent memory on Saturday as they went down 34-32 in golden point away from home against Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters in round 14 of the 2024 Group 4 Rugby League first grade campaign.

Boggabri led by 22 points early in the second stanza when Rob Doolan converted Pita Rogosau’s second try of the day in the 48th minute, but the home side fired back to make the score 32-all at the full-time whistle before five-eighth Brayden Gerrard slotted a penalty goal five minutes into the golden point period to earn the two points for the Roosters.

The saving grace for Boggabri is the Group 4 rule that when a game goes to golden point, both teams get a point so the loser does not go away empty-handed. That one point they earned saw them climb from fifth into fourth as they jumped North Tamworth after the Bears went down 24-22 at home against Gunnedah on Saturday.

Boggabri’s coach Shane Rampling was full of frustration as he lamented a 19-5 penalty count, but challenged his men to bounce back this weekend in front of what is expected to be a huge Jubilee Oval crowd for the club’s old boys’ day.

“We got ourselves in a really good position and we led by 22 points,” Rampling said.

“We were going along really good, but unfortunately, we seemed to give away a lot of penalties, which hurt us in the end.

“I don’t want to comment too much about that situation because I will probably get myself into trouble.

“It was disappointing to lead by so much and get beaten by a penalty goal at the end.

“On the plus side, we did get a bonus point. We’re fourth now.

“We have to regroup, forget about it, move on, and tackle Werris Creek at home on Saturday. It’s our old boys’ day, so we’re really looking forward to that.

“If we can manage to conjure up a win, that will give us a good launching pad to finish in the top four.

“It’s like a semi-final this weekend. We’re going to treat it like that. We have to win. If we lose this one, it will make it really difficult for us to make the four.”

The Kangaroos got off to a flying start in the round 14 clash when prop Nick Millar opened the scoring with a sixth-minute try that he converted himself to make the score 6-0.

Boggabri went ahead by 10 when Rogosau went over for his first of the day in the 12th minute, and the tries kept rolling in for the away side when their halfback Andrew Wallace crossed for their third of the game in the 20th minute. Millar kicked his second successful conversion of the day to make the score 16-0, and that was the way it remained at half-time.

Kootingal-Moonbi came out firing and hit back three minutes into the second stanza when winger Esava Nadalo scored their first try of the contest. Jerrard added the extras to reduce his side’s deficit to 10 points, but that had extended to 22 just five minutes later after Boggabri’s Josefa Biu scored in the 46th minute and his teammate Rogosau doubled up in the 48th, both of which Doolan converted as the score became 28-6.

Roosters centre Billy Nean then took over the game with an eight-minute hat-trick as he crossed in the 54th, 58th and 62nd minutes of the contest to make the score 28-20 with the assistance of one Jerrard conversion.

The match looked done and dusted in the 76th minute as Rogosau went in for his third try to put Boggabri ahead 32-20, but Nean gave the home side hope in the 76th minute when he crossed for his fourth try of the day and Jerrard added the extras.

The Roosters had one final crack as they took possession of the ball with 50 seconds remaining in the game. Nean had the ball in his hands with just a few seconds to go, and just when it looked as though Boggabri had done enough to keep Kootingal-Moonbi out, Nean launched a bomb that bounced and was claimed by his opposite centre, Liam Hatch, who crossed for the side’s sixth try of the day. Jerrard then added the extras to send the game to overtime.

The Kangaroos conceded their 19th penalty of the game five minutes into golden point, just 10 metres out from the posts following a hand in the ruck, and Jerrard made no mistake with the attempt as the Roosters celebrated a remarkable comeback victory.

The result saw them end the round in third place with 21 points. They are just one point behind Werris Creek after the Magpies sat out with the round 14 bye and moved to 22 points, and seven behind Moree after the Boars cruised past Wee Waa 66-6 in just 66 minutes away from home at Cook Oval on Sunday to remain undefeated and on top of the table as they moved to a maximum 28 points.

Boggabri and North Tamworth are fourth and fifth, respectively, locked on 19 points, and Dungowan are sixth with 12 points after they beat Narrabri Blues 64-14 at Dungowan Recreation Ground on Sunday.

Gunnedah (11), Wee Waa (5) and Narrabri (4) make up the bottom three after 14 rounds.

The other matches at Kootingal on Saturday saw Boggabri storm to a big win in reserve grade as they outscored the hosts 54-10 to finish the weekend one point outside the top four after the ladies league tag match was won 58-10 by Kootingal-Moonbi, who are first on the ladder by one point.

Boggabri remained in last place on the league tag ladder. They are still just one point behind Narrabri after the Bluebirds lost 50-0 against Dungowan on Sunday, and they are now four points behind Wee Waa after the Panthers drew 8-all at Cook Oval against Moree on Sunday.