Cooper Cross.
The Boorowa Rovers U17s Ladies tackle side will take on Belconnen United Sharks at 7:00pm tonight (Friday May 19) before the Hawks and Rovers return form rep duties to represent their town sides in what is anticipated to be the clashes of the round on Saturday afternoon.
The Boorowa Rovers Rugby League Football Club is preparing for a two day bonanza of footy, with the Rovers hosting the Belconnen United Sharks in the U17s Ladies tackle tonight (Friday May 19) and the club welcoming cross town rivals the Harden Hawks to the Boorowa Showground, for what’s expected to be two epic matches on Saturday afternoon.
The Rovers Club had representatives playing in the George Tooke Squads against Woodbridge Cup last Saturday and they will be hoping to take some solid form from those matches into the Ladies’ League Tag and The Men’s First Grade sides on what is expected to be a sunny yet fresh afternoon of scintillating bush footy.
With a high of around 12 or 13 degrees set down for Saturday, the Autumn sun will be most welcome if it manages to peak in between clouds and stays there.
The footy starts Friday night with the newly formed Boorowa U17s Ladies tackle side taking on the Sharks, with Boorowa backing up after a very good win against the much larger town of Yass. Boorowa have put together a very good side in their inaugural year with some assistance from surrounding towns such as Harden and Grenfell to bolster their stocks. The ladies have played two games so far with a win and a loss, with the last match a rampage, with Boorowa running out winners 58-0. They will take on the formidable Belconnen United side who haven’t conceded a point and who have had three wins.
Rover’s Publicity Officer Phil Coggins said, “Our girls will go pretty well, our defence is very good, it should be a good contest tonight.”
Embarking on just their third match, Phil said, “It’s created a lot of interest especially with the younger players. The crowds are starting to really get behind them. We have the new pavilion where supporters can keep away from the cold and they can get a pie and sausage roll. Kick-off tonight is 7pm with 25 minute halves. It will be all done and dusted by 8pm and there’s no entry fee.”
The Roverettes will take on the Hawkettes at 1:15pm Saturday and the match will see Boorowa’s stars return with the Pye sisters, Imogen and Mackella having taken part in the rep round. It’s a Grand Final rematch from 2022 and one that Hawks Captain Emma James is looking forward to. She said, “We are looking at a tough game, they always play really well at home. It’s always a good match with Boorowa and playing them for the first time since the Grand Final last year. I haven’t seen them play this year but i’m expecting a strong side like last year, they have some pretty handy girls in there.”
Phil said, “The girls are really looking forward to this rematch, it’s a Grand Final re match. Both sides are still fairly strong. Our girls lost first up but since then have gone from strength to strength. I don’t think there will be too much in it, but I imagine the Hawkettes will be fairly strong.”
The Hawkettes overcame a torrid first game when a bout of ‘Bali Belly’ struck those returning from the small island for round one. They will be primed for the Roverettes match after the rep round, where they featured no less than six players in what was a 40 point thumping of the Woodbridge Cup side.
Phil said, “The Grand Final last year gave our girls a lot of confidence, whether they can replicate that tomorrow, time will tell.”
Harden are three from three in the men’s competition thus far and sit second on the ladder, behind Bungendore who pip them on points differential 51 to 30.
Boorowa are nipping at the Hawk’s heels in third place having lost only one of their three matches in 2023.
Hawks Coach Nick Hall will return from representative duties where he was Assistant Coach for George Tooke and said. “Win lose or draw it’s always a good day going to play Boorowa. They are going to fight for everything. The ball is on the ground or in the air they will go for it. We are going to have to play well.”
Boorowa will be laying a strong platform up front with rep players Alex Stewart and 19 year old Cooper Cross providing plenty of starch alongside Murray Armour. The three of them will take plenty of stopping with Harden’s Drew Arabin and Alex Pirie likely to be set the task of slowing down their big men. Phil said, “Cooper is a big unit and he has a lot of power, he will take a lot of stopping. If the Rovers can match them in the forwards that should certainly give Harden a run for their money in the backs.”
Boorowa has a strong backline in 2023 and it includes the likes of Austin Power, Jared Prosser, Nick Stephens and Zack Paterson.
They will be looking to put pressure on Harden’s outside backs. Phil said, “They certainly don’t have trouble scoring points, I think it will be a tough game tomorrow.
The Men’s match will kick-off at 2:30pm with full canteen facilities and an entry fee of just $5. Phil said, make sure to rug up and get along to the footy.
