Bryson Luff
The 2025 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League first grade competition is on track for a thrilling finish with the top five still to be determined heading into the final round on Saturday.
The only certainty is the Coolah Kangaroos will be the Minor Premiers while the finishing order of another six clubs still in the fight for the remaining four Semi-final berths will not be resolved until the results are known from matches played at Cobar, Coolah and Gulgong.
Coonabarabran Unicorns hold down second position on the ladder after they scored a tense 34-28 win over Cobar Roosters at Coonabarabran, but the Unicorns face the challenge of trying to beat the undefeated Kangaroos when the travel to Coolah on Saturday.
A win will guarantee them second place and the right to host a Qualifying Semi-final, with the Boronia Cup an added bonus.
Sitting just one point adrift of the Unicorns on the ladder are Narromine Jets, who stayed in the race for second when they downed the Warren Bulldogs 30-20 at Warren last Saturday.
The Jets can expect a warm reception at Cobar’s Tom Knight Oval this Saturday, especially with the Roosters still in contention for the semis.
Gulgong Bull Terriers can leapfrog the Jets on the ladder and finish in third position if they beat Coonamble Bears at Billy Dunn Oval, and the Jets lose to Cobar. Irrespective of their result against the Bears, the Terriers are assured of a Semi-final berth and at worse will finish fourth.
Fifth position on the ladder is a three-way shootout between the Cobar Roosters, the Coonamble Bears and the Dunedoo Swans with all three clubs sitting on 25 points.
The Swans will finish on 28 points due to having the bye this weekend, and if both Cobar and Coonamble lose they are in. If either, or both, Cobar and Coonamble win then it will come down to points differential determining who gets the nod to play on after Round 14, and in that regard the Swans are the worst-placed.
The final composition of the both the League Tag and reserve grade Semi-finalists also will not be decided until Saturday afternoon.
Click here for all Castlereagh League results.
