The Harden Hawks emerged victorious in a bruising encounter against long-time rivals, the Boorowa Rovers, over the weekend, securing a hard fought 22–10 win in front of a passionate local crowd.
In what was described as one of the most physical matches of the season, the Hawks dug deep to outlast a determined Boorowa side in a clash that lived up to the intense local rivalry. “I’m happy with the win. Anytime you beat the Boorowa Rovers, it’s a good one,” said Hawks coach Nick Hall.
“There’s always a lot of competition between the two sides. They want to beat us just as much as we want to beat them. It was tough, physical, and both teams really felt it. I’ve got players still reminding me how sore they are.”
The game was a war of attrition, with both teams copping their fair share of bumps, bruises, and injuries. Harden lost a couple of players mid-match, and Boorowa suffered similarly, with several head knocks and sore bodies across the park.
“It was very physical with a lot of big hits and real tough footy,” Hall said. Despite the fierce contest, the Hawks had the edge in field position and possession throughout most of the match, which ultimately led to their points on the board. “We scored a little bit of everything,” Hall explained.
“Some tries were simple, from dummy half or a short pass, but they came from a lot of hard work leading up to those moments. It wasn’t flashy, no 100-metre tries, but it was entertaining footy with plenty of heart.”
Among the standout performers was former Boorowa player Jayden Cutting, who starred in the halves. Targeted heavily by the Rovers due to his history with the club, Cutting rose to the occasion and crossed for two crucial tries.
“They gave him a hard time because they know how dangerous he is, and because he’s their old mate,” Hall said. “But he stood tall and played a great game.”
Steve Anderson was another standout in the middle, with strong running and tireless defence, while captain Drew Arabin led from the front in the tough moments.
“It really was a team effort,” Hall added. “Lots of blokes put in the hard work, and that’s what got us the win.”
The Hawks will look to build on this momentum as the season heats up, but they’ll carry a few sore bodies into next week’s challenge.
-Liam Stuart
