The Temora Dragons were breathing fire on Sunday after winning their way into the Group 9 League Tag Grand Final.
Playing at Gundagai’s Anzac Park in the Qualifying Final, the Dragons kept Wagga Brothers scoreless after winning 12-0 in what was a great advertisement for League Tag.
Dragons captain/coach Courtney McCrone was pleased to see her young side fire against the Minor Premiers.
“They’re a really good team, they have been successful for a really long time, and they have a lot of experience,” McCrone said.
“Our girls are quite young, but they have really gelled this year and worked really hard coming into finals, and we got one up on them this time.”
The Dragons stifling defence has been a trademark of their game, and it was no different on Sunday. The scores locked at 0-all at half-time before Temora ran in three second half tries for the win.
“Their best players are in the middle so we needed to work really hard to minimise what they can do with the ball,” McCrone said.
“I know ‘Tippy’ (Madison Dunn) is super amazing and super fit at the moment, and it shows. A lot of their plays come off her and the other Absolum girls (Nicole and Jess), and we know we need to shut that down.
“We worked really hard to do that, and it’s something we have had our mind on all year, and we did it today and hopefully we can do it again in a couple of weeks.”
It’s been an exciting season for the Temora Dragons, after the men’s first grade team qualified for the Group 9 finals for the first time in 14 years.
While they are now out of contention after losing Saturday’s elimination final to Tumut 24-18, the women will fly the club’s colours on Grand Final day.
McCrone was excited to see Temora’s league tag team doing the town proud.
“We have got a lot of girls in Temora who love their footy,” McCrone said.
“A lot of girls in this team; their partners or siblings play for Temora, and they have been following it since they were kids, and now they have the opportunity to play and it’s awesome.
“We are just as passionate too, and the Temora club is a great place to be at the moment and we have worked hard to make it a place where people want to be and where they want to socialise.
“It is just a big family and I think it shows with the way the boys have been playing, and we cheer each other on and it’s just heaps of fun.”
The Dragons will now have two weeks to prepare for the Group 9 Grand Final. They will take on the winner of Sunday’s Preliminary Final between Wagga Brothers and Wagga Kangaroos at McDonalds Park.
“We want to win,” McCrone said.
“We have had our eyes on the big prize all year.
“We have worked really hard. We got touched up by ‘Roos about six weeks ago, and it was an eye-opener, because we have a good team and we’ve won games pretty easily this season.
“We’ve taken a lot away from that game, worked on things and I think over the next two weeks, it will be about doing the same, keeping the intensity up, and being ready for the Grand Final.”
After two big days of Elimination and Qualifying Finals over the weekend, teams will prepare for Sunday’s Preliminary Finals at McDonalds Park on Sunday before the Group 9 deciders, again at McDonalds Park, on Sunday September 18.
Group 9 Elimination Finals results
Sullivan Cup: Tumut def Young 26-14
Weissel Cup: Young def Southcity 38-6
League tag: Wagga Kangaroos def Albury 24-12
Burmeister Shield: Junee def Tumut 16-14
First-grade: Tumut def Temora 24-18
Group 9 Qualifying Finals results
Sullivan Cup: Wagga Brothers def Wagga Kangaroos 34-4
Weissel Cup: Junee def Gundagai 22-8
League tag: Temora def Wagga Brothers 12-nil
Burmeister Shield: Gundagai def Young 22-12
First-grade: Gundagai def Young 28-26
Group Preliminary Final draw
9.30am – Sullivan Cup: Wagga Kangaroos v Tumut
10.45am –Weissel Cup: Gundagai v Young
12pm – League tag: Wagga Brothers v Wagga Kangaroos
1.10pm – Burmeister Shield: Young v Junee
2.35pm – First-grade: Young v Tumut
