Jamie Parsons
Barellan have reached the top of the ladder in both competitions with two rounds left until the finals. The Ivanhoe Roosters relinquished their hold on top spot with a loss to Rankins Springs in Round Five, and Barellan did enough to get the points over the home town Bluebirds to jump into first for the first time this season.
Women's games
Premiers Barellan have surely secured another minor premiership with a 40-0 win over a short Goolgowi side. Six different try-scorers featured for the Rams with Sophie Taylor scoring twice.
Goolgowi borrowed four Rankins Springs players to field a team and with two byes left will be hoping Hillston won’t upset Ivanhoe in Round Seven so they can stay in the top four. Barellan will need to lose to Rankins Springs and Ivanhoe need to make up a 68-point for-and-against deficit to knock the Rams off top spot.
In the second game Hillston were looking for the first win against Springs and started well with a try to Mel Nilsen to lead 4-0 at the break.
Rankins Springs kept them out in the second half though, and a couple of long range tries to Tilly Heath and Georgia West put them in front, with a possible match-winning try for Hillston called back for a forward pass.
Men's games
Narrandera Lizards started the worst possible way against Goolgowi with their winger sent off for a spear tackle in the opening minutes. Despite the one man disadvantage, the Lizards then ran riot running in six tries to lead 32-0 with Brayden Stewart grabbing a double.
Goolgowi scored one before half-time and then mounted a comeback against a tiring 12-man outfit but a late Narrandera try sealed the game.
With a win over the Dragons Ivanhoe could have cemented a home final but it wasn’t to be. An early try to Tyrone Johnston was equalled with a Billy Vearing try at the other end.
Another try to Billy Vearing and one to Jamie Parsons after Cassidy Evans was sent off for striking had the Dragons up 18-4 before a long-range Phillip Hunter try scored a consolation for the Roosters.
Hillston came out firing at home and matched Barellan blow for blow in the early stages, trailing by only two points at half-time.
Not long after half-time Noah Forbutt grabbed his second but Hillston’s Connor Eade pegged one back to keep it close. Barnstorming Barellan centre Mesulame Navakayala scored to put the Rams eight ahead but in the process a Hillston player suffered a nasty knockout, putting an end to the game.
Round Five results
Women's
Barellan 40 (Sophie Taylor 2, Madison Morris, Sophia Kelsey, Claire Stachan, Bianca Spowart, Brittany Everett tries; Monique Higgins 6 goals) Goolgowi 0
Rankins Springs 8 (Tilly Heath, Georgia West tries) Hillston 4 (Mel Nilsen try)
Men's
Narrandera 38 (Brayden Stewart 2, Jakeem Morgan, Barlow Simpson, Michael Salafia, Kane Simpson, Jamain Morgan tries; Jakeem Morgan 5 goals) Goolgowi 20 (Henry Taylor, Mitchell White, Jasvir Singh-Clark, Jake Clonan tries; Henry Taylor, Toby Hams goals)
Rankins Springs 18 (Billy Vearing 2, Jamie Parsons tries; Damian Walker 3 goals) Ivanhoe 10 (Tyrone Johnston, Phillip Hunter tries; Patty Miller goal)
Barellan 16 (Noah Forbutt 2, Mesulame Navakayala tries; Noah Forbutt 2 goals) Hillston 8 (Tale Delai, Connor Eade tries)
