Bryson Luff
Coolah walked away the big winners from the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Grand Finals played at Coolah’s Bowen Oval on Saturday 30 August after capturing two premierships.
Kicking off the day was the reserve grade game between Binnaway Bombshells and Baradine Magpies. The Bombies were ahead 10-0 at half-time before going on to finish the job in the second half for a 18-6 win to secure the Premiership Shield.
The League Tag Grand Final turned out to be an absolute nail-biter between the Coolah Flyers and the Dunedoo Swannettes, with the game going down to the final seconds.
The Flyers held a 12-8 lead at the break after both sides scored two tries apiece in the opening half before the Swannettes drew level at 12-all with another try after the break. With 10 minutes remaining, they edged ahead with their fourth try of the match to take the lead.
The Flyers responded five minutes later with a converted try to take an 18-16 lead and set up a tense finish. In the final second of the game it appeared the Swannies had claimed a miraculous victory after one of their players speared over the line but they were penalised for having one tag on with the other being lost in a prior attack.
The Swannettes certainly gave it their all, scoring four tries to three, but the Flyers were not to be denied. They lost last year’s Grand Final and suffered only one defeat in 2025, that being to the Swannettes two weeks prior in the Major Semi-final.
The League Tag game set the platform for the final showdown in the 2025 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League season, that being the highly-anticipated clash between the undefeated Coolah Kangaroos and the Coonabarabran Unicorns.
With a strong wind whipping across the ground it was apparent the kicking games of both teams could play an important part in proceedings. The first points came in the 9th minute when Coolah’s front-rower Chanse Burgess put a deft grubber through the Unicorns defensive line for his lock Hugh Wesley to score. The ‘Roos landed the conversion for a 6-0 lead.
Coonabarabran came close 10 minutes later when half Peter Watton almost regathered his grubber kick but to the dismay of the Unicorn faithful he lost possession over the line.
The visitors continued to apply pressure, but the Coolah defence stood solid. Play moved down the other end of the field with Coonabarabran spilling a grubber kick while trying to clean it up. The ball was then picked up by Coolah’s Tyler Lennox who dived over to score what was to become a converted try and a 12-0 lead to the red and whites.
With half-time looming, the Unicorns needed to get on the scoreboard before the break with talented centre Brad Fuller answering the cal. Nick Willoughby added the extras, and the scoreboard read 12-6 at half-time.
Fuller was at it again almost immediately when play resumed when he capitalised on a Coolah mistake to score out wide. A magnificent sideline conversion in difficult conditions by Willoughby locked the scores up at 12-all.
Some eight minutes later, the ‘Roos were in again through halfback Dan Lane, who converted his own try to make it 18-12.
The ‘Roos added another six points to their tally, when a swirling bomb was put up and landed in open territory. The defence slipped over trying to clean up the kick and Coolah’s fullback Jack Piper pounced on the error to score. Lane’s conversion soared over the black dot for a handy 24-12 lead with 20 minutes remaining.
The situation looked even rosier for the ‘Roos not long after when a Unicorn player was sent to the bin, but they overcame the disadvantage with winger Sonny Bill Walker finishing off some quick hands along the backline to score in the corner.
Another great sideline conversion by Willoughby set up another grandstand finish on Grand Final day, with just six points separating the two teams and five minutes remaining on the clock.
The Unicorns enjoyed plenty of possession and good field position but the Kangaroos defended desperately during those final minutes to hang on for a hard-fought 24-18 victory.
During the day presentations were made to the Castlereagh Players of the Year, including Mab Fuller in League Tag (Warren Bulldogs), while Chanse Burgess (Coolah Kangaroos) and Nick Willoughby (Coonabarabran Unicorns) tied for the Castlereagh League Player of the Year.
