Harden’s Matt McLay and the referee disagree after a solid tackle made by McLay and Chris Salway. Both men will need to fire for the Hawks to continue on their 2019 charge, after a loss to Crookwell last weekend at Crookwell.
With one round to play in the first part of the 2019 Tooke Shield, we find Bungendore Tigers and North Canberra Bears in a tussle for the top of the ladder. These clubs meet again in round 16 on August 3 at Jamieson Oval.
However, Harden’s Hawks are hanging around in third spot, but the Tigers have the better ruck speed. At the bottom of the table are Gunning, Boomanulla and the Grizzlies, unlikely to see any of these three clubs suddenly emerging as threats to the 2019 premiership.
Crookwell’s Green Devils could appear as the competition “bogeymen” as the semi-finals approach and at the time of writing are just behind the Brahmans who set precariously in fifth position on the table. The final round will be critical for Binalong Brahmans as they must play Bungendore Tigers twice in the remaining matches.
The Hawks will play the Rovers twice and an away game against the Bears and Tigers in consecutive weeks. Then Harden’s season finish will be against Crookwell and Boorowa both at McLean Oval which the Hawks should win.
The North Canberra Bears did not get it all their own way at Jamieson Oval against the Boorowa Rovers recently when the Bears won a narrow victory 12-10. Likewise Crookwell inflicted a 26-12 defeat over a depleted Harden. This is why this writer rates Crookwell, their differential is far superior to that of Binalong and almost as good as Crookwell at +66 compared with the Rover’s +72. So Crookwell have lost one more game than the Brahmans and have a slightly easier run home.
Then what to make of all this and I have said it many times, the points don’t play for you but they are a reliable in assessing the future performance of a particular team. This is the reason Binalong are in a tight position, the Brahmans only have to lose a game on the same day Crookwell wins one and Binalong will slip to sixth position on differential.
Harden’s Hawks are not really in a similar position and at current standings would play Boorowa in a semi-final sudden death match, which I would imagine the Hawks would win. And the Hawks have a very good differential compared with the Bears.
So, will it be a Tigers and Hawks Grand Final at the end of the season? It would be a brave commentator to dismiss a Bears Grand Final appearance but at this time in the year Bungendore and Harden must have some favour. Nevertheless, the North Canberra side has a very good second phase set of plays and led by big Chris Thorley at full back, the Bears must be strong contenders. Binalong need to beat Bungendore in the very last round to have a chance.
To the women’s game, the Hawkette’s have a mortgage on the Premiership in this competition, Bears and Crookwell follow closely behind on the table, but a massive differential of +268 virtually guarantees Harden of the title. The She-Devils do have a +86 but not enough points, nor fire-power to trouble Harden.
bos Indicus
