Drew Arabin with Angla Leitner and Amelia Leitner-Ford.
It was a thrilling edition of the annual Peter Leitner Cup, with the Harden Hawks and Cootamundra Bulldogs putting on a Rugby League spectacle at McLean Oval on Saturday afternoon.
In a game that doubled as the season opener for the 2023 George Tooke Shield, there was plenty on the line, and Harden went up 20-nil with seven minutes to go in the first half.
The Bulldogs were quick to fire back, and following back-to-back tries, they reduced the margin to 10 points, trailing 20-10 at the break.
Coota’s Jordan Ballard used his experience to upset some of the Harden chargers and a melee broke out, with a Hawks sent for ten minutes in the closing stages of the first half, before Jarryd Cook went in for his first of two tries for the day before the bell.
The second half was an arm wrestle, but the large, boisterous home ground cheered Harden to a hard-fought 28-24 victory.
The League-Tag match was a very similar contest, with the Hawkettes taking an excellent early lead before the Bullettes fought back, but Harden was good enough to get home for a magnificent 26-20 win at home.
With several players suffering the ill-effects of a recent trip to Bali, likely from the drinking water, the Hawks pulled out all stops for the win.
“Both games were pretty much the same,” Harden Hawks President and League-Tag coach Jason Pollard said. Both teams were pretty much up 20-nil, and they both let Coota back into it, but they won, and it’s an excellent start to the season.”
A big crowd was on hand, and Pollard appreciates the community support as Harden prepares for an arduous George Tooke Shield campaign.
“It was a good day, and a big crowd got out there; probably one of the biggest crowds we’ve had in a very long time,” Pollard said.
“It was good to see everyone there, and even better to come away with two wins; we have a lot to look forward to this season.”
Pollard believes Nick Hall’s side will only improve on the outing and that it was essential that the Hawks got one up on the Bulldogs, with many pundits predicting Cootamundra to be one of the teams to beat in 2023.
“There were a couple of little turning points, and if anything, the scoreboard could have been more our way, and we just let Coota back into it,” Pollard said.
“We didn’t know what to expect playing them, and they played some good footy, but our Hawks were good, and they will only improve on what they did. “Plus, a few players are still missing, and a few bigger forwards too.”
Joie Whybrow and Drew Arabin crossed for doubles in the good win, while Duke Maloney and Vuniani Madu scored tries.
Madu went nearly the length of the field showing of his speed down the left edge. Lane Gaudie potted two conversions. “Drew Arabin was one of our standouts, and he was very good,” Pollard said.
