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The Gunnedah Bulldogs first grade delivered one of their “gutsiest” performances of the season to earn their place in this weekend’s grand final – their first since 1998.
The side rejoiced with an emphatic 34-30 win over a Narrabri Blues outfit as determined and hungry as their own.
Fittingly, the elimination final went the full distance and spectators were treated to true, edge of your seat action with scores deadlocked 30-all by full-time.
The match was forced into golden-point, extra-time but still, despite a few tentative chances for both teams, the result remained tied after the opening period.
It took a matching-winning try from hooker Tyler Fleming who scooted over from close range early in the second half of extra-time to break the stalemate.
The four-pointer ended almost 90 minutes of heart-stopping, coach-aging, football.
“I couldn’t look sometimes, it was that hard to watch,” Gunnedah coach Shane Rampling said.
“But that has to be one of our gutsiest wins of the season.”
He knows this territory well, having been on the wrong end of a golden-point scoreline twice in two consecutive finals matches last year with the Bulldogs reserve grade.
“To get beat in golden point is hard, I feel for Narrabri, because it happened to me last year in reserve grade,” he said.
“And straight out of the finals, it’s a bitter pill to swallow, lucky enough it wasn’t us.”
Barely an inch of Kitchener Park pitch wasn’t covered by the two sides in last weekend’s final, such was the see-saw battle being waged out on the field.
From one end of the park to the other, play was pushed back and forth as each side sought to gain the upperhand.
But neither really managed to get a foothold.
The Bulldogs led 16-12 at the break after late half tries to Cameron Lewington and Dylan Rampling but were left commiserating a soft try to Narrabri on the half-time hooter.
"We dug deep and got the result I think we deserve."
- Bulldogs coach Shane Rampling
The Narrabri ascendancy continued early in the second half and at one stage, the visitors had stretched their lead out to 10 points.
A rampaging try by Gunnedah’s Andrew Seach put an end to that, followed by another by Aaron Donnelly who dived over in the corner to score.
The momentum had shifted and Gunnedah again found themselves in front on the scoreboard until Narrabri levelled it with just minutes remaining.
What followed was described by many in attendance as the most entertaining play they had witnessed all season.
Coach Rampling thought it typified how finals football should be played.
“With your season on the line... it’s heart in your mouth type stuff,” he said.
“It was one of your typical semi-final games, it went down to the wire, both teams put everything into it.”
It was an elimination final where he anticipated their Narrabri opposition to run on all guns firing.
“I had a feeling they were going to come out like that,” he said.
“That week off would have done them a world of good, they got some players back and were very hungry and keen to get into the grand final, it’s been a long time since they have been there either.
“But we dug deep and got the result I think we deserve.
“We’ve been the second best team all year by six points, so to exit the finals race would have been a huge disappointment.”
Gunnedah’s man of the match, Jordy Ford, delivered in spades again for his beloved Bulldogs.
Just days after having a striking charge dismissed by the judiciary panel, Ford was back on deck and at his bullocking best for the do-or-die clash against Narrabri.
“The last month Jordy has stepped up to another level,” Rampling said.
“That’s his maturity starting to show through, being one our leaders in the team and he’s stepped up and he’s killing it.”
Another charge labelled against Ford during Sunday’s match was also dismissed.
“As far as I’m aware he got placed on report but after the game the referee said he had no case to answer,” the coach said.
To herald the Bulldogs first top grade grand final appearance in 16 years, Rampling has called on the community and local business to deck the town out in the club colours of red, white and blue.
In appreciation of their support, the first grade team will be holding a public training session on Saturday morning at 9.30am at Kitchener Park. They also welcome all family, friends, fans and sponsors back to the Gunnedah Serivces Bowling Club later that morning for a grand final breakfast. Following that, the team is planning a walk down the main street in a show of support for the local community who have backed them so passionately this year.
The Bulldogs first grade is due to meet North Tamworth in Tamworth for the Group 4 Grand Final on Sunday.