Kangaroos’ return to the Group 4 first division finals a successful one as they march on to the preliminary final

Boggabri Kangaroos won their first Group 4 Rugby League first division finals match in 60 years on Sunday in front of a packed home crowd at Jubilee Oval, and while coach Shane Rampling was proud of his men for getting the job done, he was anything but satisfied upon reflection.

The Kangaroos defeated Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters 34-16 in the first grade minor semi-final to progress to this Saturday’s preliminary final. They will meet Werris Creek at David Taylor Oval in that match after the Magpies were thumped 62-24 by Moree Boars at Boughton Oval in Saturday’s major semi-final.

Rampling told The Courier that his side would need to be better at Werris Creek if they are any chance of going to Moree on grand final day.

“We were very sloppy, especially in the first half,” Rampling said.

“I think we dropped nine balls just in that first half.

“My take on it is we were a bit overawed by the occasion and nerves got to the boys a bit, but once we settled down, we got into the game and we were a lot better.

“There was a massive crowd there. It was unbelievable. The support made it a fantastic day, and to get the win at home was the icing on the cake.

“I said to the boys, ‘let’s not make that our grand final’. We’re not going to be satisfied with a semi-final.

“We have another game to play now and we need to be a lot better than we were against Kooti.”

It was the Roosters who struck first at Jubilee Oval on Sunday as an old nemesis opened the scoring with a try in the 15th minute. That was Billy Nean, who scored four tries against the Kangaroos at Kootingal Sports Ground back in round 14 in July as the Roosters earned a golden-point win. That put the away side ahead 4-0, but it ended up being their only try in the first half.

The Kangaroos hit back in the 22nd minute when prop Josefa Biu scored the home side’s first try after coming off the bench to make the score 4-all. It remained that way until the 34th minute when Boggabri took the lead for the first time in the game as winger Josefa Goneduadua crossed for a try that Ash White converted to make the score 10-4.

That then became 16-4 on the stroke of half-time as Boggabri’s halfback Andrew Wallace scored their third try and White added the extras.

It took the hosts just five minutes to pick up in the second stanza where they left off in the first as Biu crossed for his second try of the game. White was able to convert that try as well to put Boggabri out in front 22-4, and the fullback made it 24-4 in the 57th minute when he kicked a penalty goal.

Nean struck again in the 61st minute and his five-eighth Brayden Gerrard nailed the conversion to make the score 24-10, but Boggabri extended their lead to 18 points five minutes later as Ilaisa Kalokalodrau scored their fifth try to make the scoreboard read 28-10.

The Roosters’ hooker Anders Glew claimed the away side’s third try of the match in the 69th minute, and it was 28-16 when Gerrard successfully hit the conversion, but Boggabri put the game to bed in the 77th minute when Kalokalodrau scored his second try of the game. White nailed his fifth conversion of the day to make the final score 34-16.

Rampling said that while his side were poor in possession of the ball at times, they certainly made up for that in defence.

“I think we tackled them into touch four times. Our scramble defence was really good,” the Boggabri coach said.

“Kooti were guilty of dropping the ball too, which helped.

“I was really pleased with the way we defended overall.

“In the second half, we had a couple of missed tackles that led to their two tries and I wasn’t happy with that.

“But I knew if we physically put it on them, we would come out on top, and I think we did that. Physically we were very tough, and I think Kootingal had one player on the bench at the end of the game.”

Boggabri were also hit by injury in the minor semi-clash as Biu suffered a broken arm late in the game and will now miss the rest of the season.

The Kangaroos do have good depth at prop though, with Nick Millar and Jake Byrne firing in the eight and 10 jerseys and both Stino Pensoni and Malakai Kovekalou available to play this Saturday.

The other minor semi-finals played at Jubilee Oval on Sunday saw Werris Creek beat Gunnedah Bulldogs 32-16 in reserve grade, Kootinagl-Moonbi take down North Tamworth 32-0 in under-18s, and Werris Creek defeat Dungowan 10-4 in ladies league tag.

Saturday’s major semi-finals saw the Moree Boars beat Werris Creek 62-24 in first grade, the Dungowan Cowboys defeat Moree 22-18 in reserve grade and Werris Creek in under-18s, and Kootingal-Moonbi beat Norths 24-10 in ladies league tag.

Werris Creek will now feature in all four preliminary finals on home soil this Saturday as they meet Kootingal-Moonbi in under-18s, North Tamworth in ladies league tag, Moree in reserve grade and Boggabri in first grade.