The Belmore Hotel Scone Brumbies ventured north along the Kamilaroi Highway last Friday and Saturday morning at all hours of the night and day to prepare for their respective grand finals.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Armed with pitch reports from the Thursday and Friday which indicated a lightning fast track with minimal grass cover, the Brumbies used all available information to storm to two emphatic victories.
When looking back on the day all the highly paid coaching staff wishes it was that simple as both Scone sides had to graft out their wins, they were great character filled victories and ones to be savoured over time.
Reserve Grade, up against the might of Gunnedah, clung within a few points of their much favoured opposition and as the clock wound down indicating a minute to go Scone lock Adam Bluey Peterson found himself in traffic, burrowed his way through to offload a deft pass to Paul McTaggert who sprinted clear to score the killer try to seal a tremendous victory.
Not to be out done, Matt O’Donnell lined up from the sideline and belted the Gilbert through. Scone 18 to Gunnedah 15.
First Grade on the other hand thought that they would like to give Walcha a sniff of victory by playing a strange and inconsistent brand of rugby in the first half.
They started well getting in behind the Walcha forward pack and making easy metres before switching off and allowing Walcha to scoot away to a 13 to nil lead at oranges.
A highly motivational speech by Coach Ben McRae had the more sensitive in the team lose their zest for the oranges, this was followed by an emotionally charged plea from winger Baden Chaffey who said he had driven a long way for this outing and he did not plan to lose like this.
It certainly had some effect as Baden pulled off one of the hits of the game on the Walcha fullback, and Scone charged back into the game with tries to John Maxwell, Murray Wilkinson and Dale Robinson who used the wind at his back and the rock hard pitch to implement a very astute kicking game.
Scone piled on the points to lead 23 to 13 only to have Walcha hit back with two minutes to go to take the final score to 23 to 20.
Scone half back Graham Flanagan was awarded man of the match and Scone loose forward Laurens Le Grange was announced runner up in the Central North Rugby player of the year.