The scent of victory hung thick in the air, a sweet perfume of hard-won triumph as the Wagga Kangaroos celebrated their stunning 34-16 defeat of the Gundagai Tigers. This wasn’t just another game; it was a golden ticket, a direct pass to the grand final. The roar from the Wagga sideline was deafening, a powerful wave of sound that celebrated a goal achieved.
Meanwhile, the Tigers, shoulders slumped and heads bowed, faced the bitter taste of disappointment, knowing their journey was far from over. The air was electric, thick with damp earth, sweat, and victory.
The Wagga sideline erupted in a cacophony of cheers and slaps on the back. Angus Clark, his face streaked with dirt and a triumphant grin, was mobbed by his teammates. He had been a force of nature, his two tries a testament to his sheer power and determination. The first had been a bullocking run, shrugging off two would-be tacklers to plant the ball over the line. The second, a display of pure speed, as he had out-paced the Gundagai defence on the wing.
James Smart had added to the tally with a try born of opportunism, pouncing on a loose ball in the in-goal area. But the star of the show, the man whose name would be on everyone’s lips tonight, was Dakota Ruta. He had scored two tries, each more spectacular than the last. The first was a dazzling display of footwork, a jinking, weaving run that left defenders grasping at air. The second, a show of sheer athleticism, as he had leapt high to claim a soaring kick and touch down in the corner. His teammates lifted him onto their shoulders, a king in his conquered domain.
John Downes, a veteran with a knack for being in the right place at the right time, had sealed the deal with a late try, a fitting end to a dominant performance. Sam Macklan, a tireless worker, had also crossed the line, his try a reward for a game filled with bone-jarring tackles and tireless runs.
The conversions, however, had been a different story. Charlie Barton, the usually reliable kicker for the Wagga Roos, had a tough day. He had only managed to convert three of the seven tries, his kicks sailing wide or falling short. It was a small blemish on an otherwise perfect day, a testament to the Tigers’ relentless pressure and the swirling wind that seemed to delight in tormenting the kickers.
For the Gundagai Tigers, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow. They had fought hard, their tries a testament to their resilience.
Will Herring, their halfback, had a try of his own, a smart, deceptive run that fooled the Wagga defence. He had also been on point with his conversions, slotting two of the three tries, a small consolation in a losing effort. The other two tries belonged to Meli Drau, a powerful centre who had brute force broken through the Wagga line. He had been a constant threat, his powerful runs a source of worry for the Roos’ defence.
“Meli (Drau) was really good on the wing,” Tigers coach Aaron Gorrell said. “Other than that, we were probably a little bit off, but I thought those two were good,” he added, referring to Drau and Hayden Ashcroft. “Hayden Ashcroft always tries.”
As the Wagga team celebrated their victory, the Gundagai players trudged off the field, their heads bowed. Gorrell was candid about his team’s performance. “We started well, and they just went away from what got us that lead and how we want to play.”
The Tigers had been up 12-0 early in the match, but let the lead slip. Gorrell said he didn’t know why. “I don’t know what it was, whether we just thought it was just going to keep rolling through and it was going to be an easy day, but we gave a quality side too many opportunities and played pretty silly and just didn’t complete, just gave them too much footy and then just came up with a few poor on one misses.”
He was clearly disappointed with the result, stating it was “probably an opportunity they let go.” “They got a big clump of possession at the back end of that first half that really put us to the sword, and we sort of didn’t come back from that. Probably lacked a bit of urgency at times as well, so we have just got to work on it.”
The Tigers coach also added that “we can whinge about whatever we want, but you don’t want to work hard and play tough; that’s what happens to you. That’s what happened to us yesterday.”
Despite the loss, Gorrell was confident in his team’s ability to bounce back. “I’m confident that whatever side we put out, we are going to be competitive, it’s just we need to get it right in our own heads and play the footy we want to play.” He added, “We did that for the first 20 minutes and got a 12-0 lead, so not sure why we went away from it, but we will have some heart-to-hearts this week and put everything out on the line, and we have just got to make sure we get better, because we know we are a better team than what we showed yesterday.”
They knew this wasn’t the end of their journey. Not yet. They still had a lifeline, a second chance to earn their spot in the grand final. Their next challenge was the Young Cherrypickers. The thought sent a jolt of anticipation through the remaining Tigers. It was a rematch, a chance to prove their earlier dominance wasn’t a fluke. Just a fortnight ago, in the first round of the finals, they had dismantled the ‘Pickers in a one-sided affair, a crushing 42-18 victory that had left no doubt as to who the superior team was. But the Young Cherrypickers were a different beast now. They had bounced back from that crushing defeat with a renewed sense of purpose. A fortnight of introspection, of hard training, of regrouping, had seen them return to form. They had secured their place in this do-or-die clash by outplaying the Temora Dragons, a convincing 28-14 win that had breathed new life into their grand final aspirations.
Gorrell knows his team will have to be at their best to get through this week. “We are not going to get Young as easily as we did last week, so we are going to have to be at our best to get through this week.” He added that he wasn’t too worried about the other team, but more focused on his own.”I wasn’t too worried about them. I was just worried about what we were doing or what we weren’t doing, so we have just got to control the things we can control and not worry about anybody else, because I think we are our own worst enemy at times. I’m confident we can bounce back, but we are going to have to do it quickly and be good this week.”
Gorrell said he thought the two teams were similar. “I think they are pretty similar, to be honest. They both try to bash you through the middle, and that’s what Young does as well. We are just going to have to work hard this week and be really physical, like we were last week.”
Confidence was a powerful weapon, and the Cherrypickers were now armed with it. They had shaken off the ghosts of their previous encounter with the Tigers and were ready to face them again, this time with the ultimate prize on the line. The Tigers, for their part, knew this wouldn’t be a repeat of their first encounter.
The ‘Pickers would be coming with a point to prove, a fire in their belly that would make them a formidable opponent. “It’s tough, the third semi in three weeks, but it’s the same for them, and we have just got to deal with it and be better,” Gorrell said. The grand final spot, the final ticket to glory, was up for grabs. The Wagga Kangaroos would be watching from the sidelines, their eyes on the prize. They would watch with anticipation as the Gundagai Tigers and the Young Cherrypickers played at Twickenham, a battle for sur-vival, a chance to earn the right to challenge the mighty Roos for the premiership.
Gorrell added, “I’m glad we are not playing Tumut there. It’s close to us. We will call it our second home. We will call it a home game for us this week. I’m sure there will be a big crowd there, and it is still a game of footy. It’s obviously on neutral ground, but we just have to make sure we bounce back because we’re pretty dis-appointed with what we came up with yesterday.”
The coach also said, “We let ourselves down yesterday, and I’m sure we won’t do that again this week.” “I think it’s going to be a great game, it will be very physical, but we just have to make sure we are up for it, they are a quality side and they don’t play too many games like they did last week, so we’d better make sure we are on our game.”
The stage was set, the players were ready, and the final chapter of the season was about to be written. The winner would go on to face the Wagga Roos, but the Tigers and Cherrypickers had their own story to tell, a story of redemption and hope, a story that was just beginning.
– Tully Potts
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