Two years ago Jack Rumsby returned to Tamworth, having given a season of Brisbane colts a "red-hot crack". Now the 21-year-old is doing the same in Group 4.
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The Kootingal-Moonbi fullback has emerged as one of the competition's most exciting players. And at Kootingal on a temperate Sunday afternoon, he scored a try hat-trick in a 54-18 elimination final thumping of Gunnedah.
It was a horror day for Gunnedah, with Kooty beating the proud club in all three grades - although Gunnedah beat Kooty in the league tag clash.
For first grade, the Roosters will meet the Magpies in the preliminary final at Werris Creek on Saturday. The winner advances to the grand final against North Tamworth in two weeks.
The Creek will need to guard against Rumsby - an energy-efficient smooth mover. In his first season at Kooty, the former Cowboy and Oxley Diggers junior has scored 12 tries in 10 matches.
Unlike Werris Creek, who got spanked by the Bears in the major semi-final on Saturday, Kooingal-Moonbi will go into the preliminary final full of confidence, having won seven of their past eight matches. Only Norths have beaten them in recent times.
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"I thought we were pretty good today," Rumsby, a Tamworth barber, said after the Bulldogs clash. "When we stuck to our structure, we rolled them through the middle.
"They couldn't really compete with us; I thought we were the fitter side. And, really, I just played off the back of that."
Roosters veteran Kyle "Yum Yum" Cochrane has been a revelation since Kooty coach Geoff Sharpe moved him from the forwards to centre earlier in the year. He scored the first try of the match - an early long-range effort down the right edge.
Gunnedah replied quickly when No.1 Dylan Lake - a forlorn figure late in the match - sent centre Adam Mooney crashing over in the corner.
But then Rumsby posted his first try, showing good hustle from inside Gunnedah's 20-metre zone to score under the uprights, before Roosters halfback Jordan Sharpe unleashed a long-range solo effort that Cochrane converted: 16-4.
When Cochrane made a break and off-loaded in the tackle for five-eighth Sam Taylor to cross and then Cochrane barged over for his second, the Roosters led 26-4 at half-time.
They launched a blitzkrieg after the break, scoring five tries to one, before Gunnedah ran in two consolation tries.
Kootingal-Moonbi 54 (Jack Rumsby 3, Kyle Cochrane 2, Sam Taylor, Jordan Sharpe, Liam Hatch, Ryley Taylor, Will Saunders tries; Cochrane 7 goals) d Gunnedah 18 (Adam Mooney, Dylan Lake, Lachlan King, Deacon Sankey tries; Matt Brady goal)
Second grade: Kootingal-Moonbi 46 (Leroy Livermore 3, Nicholas Allan, Ryley Taylor, Michael Rutherford, Brody Cummins, Damon Johnson tries; Dustin Munn 6 goals) d Gunnedah 22 (Jackson Brookman 2, Paul Sharpley, Michael Cobb tries; Jonathon Crowe 3 goals)
Under-18: Kootingal-Moonbi 36 (Kobi Etcell 3, Matt Roberts, Liam Mack, Johnty Pettet, Lochie O'Keefe tries, Dylan Ciprian 3; O'Keefe goals) d Gunnedah 12 (Liam Ireland 2 tries; Ash White 2 goals)
League tag: Gunnedah 8 (Piper Rankmore try, Khobi Devine 2gls) d Kootingal-Moonbi 4 (Monique Cook try)
