MOREE and Gunnedah played out a thrilling 32-32 gentleman's agreement draw at Boughton Oval, Moree on Saturday.
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Both sides scored six tries as Moree warmed up for a minor semi-final appearance and Gunnedah looked at a fifth-place finish to a struggling season.
Locked 32-32 at full-time, the two coaches, Mick Schmiedel of Gunnedah and Ben Williams of Moree, agreed to call it quits and not play a golden-point extra-time period.
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Sharing the two competition points - a point each - was fair enough, they both said, in the wake of a tough game and a day littered with injuries.
"It was good of Mick to offer it," Moree captain-coach Williams said.
"Both teams had injuries and there were some bad ones during the day."
Schmiedel said it was a "sporting decision" given what had happened throughout the day.
"The extra point wasn't going to make a difference to where either side finished," Schmiedel added.
"The players made the decision themselves, really. There were plenty of walking wounded out there.
"We might cop it from Group 4 (for not playing extra time) but I thought it was just a bit of sportsmanship because of the injuries."
He added: "Jordie Ford broke his leg, Jack Grosser dislocated his thumb and Marshall Barker dislocated his finger too."
Williams had to change his first grade side at the last minute.
He said Boars lock Brent McDonald missed the match after his partner shattered her arm in the league tag clash on Saturday.
"He spent all afternoon up at the hospital with her," Williams added.
That meant Brenton Cochrane played lock, Adrian Smith backed up from reserve grade as the starting five-eighth and Hayden Wiblen, who was going to play off the bench, started at prop.
"Adrian Smith played a full reserve grade game and then played a full first grade game," Williams said.
"Every time I've asked him to come up he's done it so well. He's been real good for us. I couldn't ask any more of him.
"He had a big game, too, scored a try and kicked a couple of goals."
MOREE 32 (Silas Haines, Adrian Smith, Michael Watton, Stan Swan, Brenton Cochrane, Jarvis Watton tries; Adrian Smith 2, Stan Swan 2 goals) GUNNEDAH 32 (Thomas Randall 2, Dylan O'Brien, Nic Altmann, Dylan Lake, Lincon Smith tries; O'Brien 4 goals).
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