Tallon Smith
Cootamundra Bulldogs have a 2025 Under 18s Group 9 premiership in their trophy cabinet after a remarkable last-gasp 26-22 win over the Wagga Kangaroos in a stunning decider at Geohex Park on Sunday.
With the scores level, winger Graham Neale proved the match winner, scoring a final minute try to secure a premiership for the Bulldogs in their return season after a six-year absence from the competition.
The Bulldogs burst out of the blocks, opening up a 16-0 half-time lead through tries to Ben Piffero, Isaiah Pulleine and Player of the Match Harry Boxsell in front of a raucous crowd of supporters who made the trip down the Olympic Highway.
However, the Kangaroos mounted a comeback in the second stanza to level the game following tries to Cody Plum, Mason Mescia and Jack Walsh, and when Ben Thornton crashed over, the Wagga side had hit the front 22-16 with time running out.
Not wanting their premiership dream to end in heartbreaking circumstances, the Bulldogs responded, with centre Ned Murray crashing over to tie the game once more at 22-all.
The Bulldogs found themselves attacking the Kangaroos’ line again in the final minute, with all eyes on who was going to kick the field goal to win the game for their team.
However, Cootamundra had other ideas, with a cut-out pass from dummy-half hitting winger Neale on the chest, as he raced around to score a try and immortalise himself in Bulldogs folklore, securing a memorable premiership and triggering a pitch invasion.
Speaking after the game, Murray was full of praise for his teammates for their effort and determination to outlast the undefeated Kangaroos and claim victory.
“That was just unbelievable, the boys just worked that hard for each other,” he said.
“Kangaroos didn’t hand it over, they made us work for it, and they’re a great team, they should be so proud of themselves.
“The effort from the boys was unmatched, every single bloke out there gave it everything, I couldn’t be prouder.”
As for the second half, Murray did admit that there were some nerves as their opponents charged to take the lead.
“It was expected, we’re not a second half team, and they play the full 60 minutes 100 percent, so we knew they were going to come out, we didn’t know they were going to put that many points on, but it was just (an) unreal game.”
The win caps off an incredible rise from the depths of footballing despair for Cootamundra, which spent four seasons in the George Tooke Shield before returning to Group 9 full time this year.
Murray said that without the efforts of those at the top of the club, their triumph would never have happened.
“You’ve got to give it to the first grade boys and the committee, we wouldn’t be here in Group 9 without them,” he said.
“They fought for us to get back in here so we could play against these teams we’ve been playing against since we were five or six.
“I’m keen to take the Cup home for the first time.”
