Narrabri Rugby Club has claimed its first reserve grade premiership in almost a decade after an emphatic win against Moree in Quirindi.
The stage was set for a battle of the ages between the two foes, and the Blue Boars didn’t disappoint in front of the strong Narrabri crowd which made the journey down the highway.
The Mick Coffey-coached Blue Boars hit the board first in the early minutes of Saturday’s grand final through a Nathan Nott try followed by a Nick Coffey conversion.
Moree returned fire almost five minutes later.
Coffey then lined up for one of two of his successful penalty goals, with 21 minutes still on the clock in the first half.
With just a few minutes remaining in the first stanza, a Matt Bradshaw try and Coffey conversion added to the Blue Boars’ tally.
The Bulls quickly added to the scoreboard with a try just seconds before the half-time break, with the Blue Boars leading 17–10.
Coffey again added a penalty to the Blue Boars’ scoresheet five minutes into the second half to give Narrabri a 10-point advantage.
Moree would then narrow that gap with 19 minutes to go through a try and successful conversion, whittling the Blue Boars’ lead down to three points.
The Bulls repeated the same almost 10 minutes later to lead for the first time in Saturday’s clash.
With the Bulls leading 24–20, it was do or die for the Blue Boars as they kept attempting to drive the ball forward.
Just one minute remained and a golden opportunity arrived through a pass to Sam Knight, who quickly dived through a weak spot in the Bulls’ defence.
That try gave Narrabri a one-point lead with a Coffey conversion the icing on the cake, giving the Blue Boars a thrilling finish 27–24.
Nathan Nott, who was awarded player of the grand final, kicked off the Blue Boars’ scoring in Saturday’s grand final with a try just minutes into the clash. Photo: Dylan Smith.
Earlier in Saturday’s Central North grand final, the Narrabri women also took to the field following a remarkable preliminary season that saw them awarded as minor premiers.
The Blue Boars opened the scoresheet through an Ashlyn Summers try and April Smith conversion with almost four minutes to go in the first quarter.
Narrabri scored again early in the second quarter through a Lidia McCauley try, however the Pirates would return fire almost three minutes later with a try and successful conversion.
The Pirates repeated again with almost a minute to go, having a two-point lead at the half-time break.
A superb Shaine Maunder try brought the scoreboard back to the Blue Boars’ favour, albeit only for a brief period.
The Pirates would score back-to-back tries and conversions in the final minutes of the third quarter to lead 28–17.
As the clock ticked away, the Blue Boars women fought valiantly in the final quarter.
Belle Byrne crossed for a try with almost four minutes to go, followed by a successful conversion by Smith.
The Blue Boars’ attempts to drive the ball forward in the final minutes were unsuccessful.
Tamworth had clinched the women’s premiership 28–24, ending Narrabri’s three-year reign.
During the women’s competition presentation, Smith was honoured with the Bruce Etheridge Shield for coach of the year.
Her achievements were praised to the large grand final gathering at Quirindi by CNRU president James Kahl. Smith also accepted the minor premiership shield for the Blue Boars.
Toni Rae was awarded as the CNRU women’s highest pointscorer for the 2026 season.
In the other CNRU grand finals on the day, the Bulls defeated the Pirates 36–10 in third grade while the Bulls also claimed the silverware in first grade with a 38–31 win against the Quirindi Lions.
