The Boggabri Kangaroos secured a home final and snapped a two-game losing sequence as they trounced the Kootingal Roosters 46-22 in Group 4 second division rugby league at Boggabri last Saturday.
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Boggabri set up a showdown with Dungowan in this coming Saturday’s minor semi-final, with the loser eliminated while the winner goes on to contest the loser of the Werris Creek versus Uralla semi-final.
Boggabri appeared destined to win last Saturday as the Roosters again looked barely a shadow of last year’s premiership-winning team, with Kootingal regularly struggling for numbers at training throughout the season.
Beating the Roosters twice in as many attempts this year was a far cry from the past few years, considering Boggabri entered this year without having beaten Kootingal since the Kangaroos rejoined the competition in 2013.
Although Boggabri wasn’t penalised as often as in the previous week’s 33-28 loss to Werris Creek, the Kangaroos still didn’t have everything go their way last Saturday. They had to defend a lot during the first half as ball handling was poor from both teams, with the Kangaroos completing only a few sets.
Boggabri repeatedly committed the cardinal sin of failing to complete the set after scoring points, but the Kangaroos did well to hold on when having to defend back-to-back sets on their tryline.
The Kangaroos were able to dominate the ruck and gain the upper hand in the forwards, and subsequently take control in the backs as halves Jayde Campbell and Boyde Campbell were in fine form with their leadership, direction and kicking game.
Heath McIlveen and Aaron Hobden were among Boggabri’s best forwards while centres Hayden Jaeger and Ben Haire took advantage of the work from the forwards and halves as Jaeger and Haire tallied five of the victorious team’s tries.
This coming Saturday looms as a big day for the Boggabri club as the women’s leaguetag team also contests a do-or-die semi-final.
In their maiden finals appearance, the third-placed Kangaroos women take on the fourth-placed Werris Creek while in the other leaguetag fixture on the same day, top-two teams Kootingal and Uralla go head-to-head.
Kootingal downed the Kangaroos 26-6 in last Saturday’s leaguetag match at Boggabri although the Kangaroos held their own, and kept the score close for a while.
