Bingara will host the Group 19 minor semi final, on Sunday, August 18. The first game starts at 10 am.
Under the agreement between Bingara and Warialda, Warialda was to host five home games, and Bingara had four, but would host the first semi final. In 2014, it will be reversed.
On a beautiful day at the Warialda Recreation ground on Saturday, Gwydir took on Glen Innes in three grades.
The girls in League Tag started like a house on fire and Kearni Churchland raced over out wide but unfortunately the flames went out and Glen ran in three quick tries to make the half time score 16 – 4 in favour of the visitors.
The second half started with a rush for Glen Innes with two quick converted tries. Two more tries to the visitors made the final score 38 – 4.
The Glen Innes Reserves started where their girls left off scoring two quick tries and really looking like they were going to run away with the game, but the boys really knuckled down and Sam Cooper made a neat run down the blind side to score.
Glen went in again but from the kick off Rocky Hall kicked short and regathered. The ensuing play saw Brett McGrady put Willie Price over making the score 10 to 14 and this remained the score until half time.
A neat break down the right hand side by Rocky Hall saw him flick an overhead pass to Brayden McGrady who passed to Willie Price who picked up his second try.
This stirred the Magpies up and they sent in for two four pointers and suddenly they seemed unstoppable and played to win which they eventually did 32 points to 20.
The boys tried hard but just didn’t seem to be mentally on their game. This puts them in a very precarious position for the finals. They need abig win against Uralla.
Best were Willie Price, Sam Cooper, Graham Rampling and Brayden McGrady.
Glen took the points in the first section of the A grade with their big front rower Jeff Moate scoring two quick tries before Ashley Churchland ran onto a Dave McGrady chip.
In the 27th minute there was a bit of quick passing near the posts put Brendan Critchlow over for a very popular try. Then Dave McGrady showed some absolute magic to put Mitchell Porter over. Unfortunately Glen aren’t the 2012 Premiers for no reason and scored two quick tries just before half time. These tries were created by the Glen Innes big forwards ability to offload taking the score to 22 all at the break.
Both teams came out pumped and it took till the 12th minute before a great Porter break eventually led to Nathan McGrady going in and about three minutes later he did the same off one of Dave McGrady’s long passes and then Dave gave a short pass to put Porter under the posts.
Glen Innes don’t lie down and their second rower Jeff Watts put hope back in their cause and then Jay Hampson did the same but the conversion was unsuccessful making the final score 40 – 32 in our favour.
Best for Gwydir was undoubtedly Matt Cleal who not only set up a lot of the play but on occasion thought he was a front rower rocking the ball out of his own line. He was closely followed by Harold Duncan, Sam Armstrong, Ashley Churchland and Dave and Nathan McGrady in the backs while Tank Critchlow, Tyler Dennison, Mick Hodges, Casey Bowman and Caleb Austin were good in the forwards.
This puts Gwydir in to a guaranteed third place and a place in the minor semi, which will be held in Bingara, probably against Tingha in first grade.
Credit must go to Glen Innes who turned up a bit short of numbers but like all good clubs fulfilled their commitment with players doubling up in both grades.
Next week, Gwydir League plays Uralla in two grades (reserves and ladies league tag).
Unfortunately, Gwydir’s reserve grade loss to Glen Innes makes the game against Uralla a must-win situation to provide any chance of playing in the semi finals.
