Final Round.
Tim Crellin for the Brahmans and Sam Lambing for the Jersey Girls.
The Binalong Jersey Girls had nothing to play for in the final round against the Tigerettes on the home game charity day at their home ground, they wore specially designed jerseys in support of Ronald McDonald House.
But in the first half the girls played as though they were looking for a Grand Final berth. They opened up with a lot of gusto and threw the ball around and did not make a lot of mistakes. The girl’s wide ball movement put them into a different grade and after seven minutes it paid off when Cherrae Smith crossed the chalk for a 4-0 lead.
Steph Abra and Taylah Phillis lead the way with strong runs and Marnie Pack mixed up the game to put Bungendore on the back foot at almost every point. The girls repelled every attack that the Tigerettes mounted and their good defence found them with their 4-0 lead at half time.
But when the second half opened, the visitors looked quite a different side. In spite of excellent line breaks by Steph Abra and Coco Adam, the Bungendore girls crossed in the 8th minute to even the scores at 4-4. Cara Phillis and Hunter Ings added a lot of spark to the Jersey Girls but the visitors scored again in the 12th minute to lead 8-4. They repeated the effort in the 15th and 18th minutes to run out winners by 20-4.
However, the Waldren Construction Brahmans were in a critical round at fifth position with Crookwell in sixth and with a better differential of +166, the Green Devils would take at least 5th place with a win over UC on Sunday.
Nevertheless, the form Binalong have shown in the past three weeks may have just given them a slight edge over the Tigers at Binalong Rec. With a differential of just +67 for the Brahmans, Crookwell would easily slip into fourth position on the George Tooke Table and force Boorowa Rovers to fifth place. But with the 15 June loss 24-20, the Brahmans were a chance.
On the other hand, a win by the Brahmans on Saturday and a win by Harden against Boorowa at McLean Oval the same day, could see Binalong climb to fourth spot on the table and a win against Boorowa the following Saturday, a chance at a shot at the Hawks a week later?
Nevertheless, the results failed to work out that way, in spite of Harden’s loss to Boorowa. The home side started well when Dylan Arabin put brother Jake over wide out for a 4-0 lead and the Brahmans were on the attack again minutes later when Dylan kicked a 40/20, but they couldn’t profit from the kick.
Tim Crellin was at his best again but the Tigers were winning the territorial battle and the hosts couldn’t penetrate. In the closing stages of the half the visitors score twice in quick succession to lead 12-4. It was a very physical match with heavy hits which had ramifications late in the second half!
Suddenly, out of the blue, Nate Lalliard took a short inside pass and crossed the chalk untouched, Binalong could not buy a goal all day the players went for oranges with the Tigers in the lead 12-8.
James McDougal and Mick Spencer toiled away all day and both took heavy hits from a determined Tigers outfit. But in just the 3rd minute of the final stanza, Bungendore crossed again for a result of 18-8 and the match looked lost for Binalong. Pete Adam tried everything he could but the visitors scored again in the 18th minute for an almost unassailable 24-8 lead. Lachlan Patterson and Sam Lucas made big contributions in both attack and defence.
Then a magnificent line break by Dylan Downey who fought off defenders one at a time for 30 metres, could have scored himself but passed to Tim Crellin who landed the try, not a goal all day, but at 24-12 the score was now too risky for the Tigers Captain Zac Smith who took the option of a field goal and at 25-12 the Brahman’s hopes were dashed.
Several skirmishes broke out as the game heated up in the closing minutes. With only 54 second on the clock the final brawl was too much for the referee, who sent one Bungendore player for ten, Trent Casey was sent with him and Stuart Noble was sent off. A disappointing end to the season.
Bungendore 25 def Binalong 12. Tries: J.Arabin, N.Lalliard and T.Crellin.
bos Indicus
