Josh Carmody lines up a conversion late in the game vs Harden. Photo Credits – RoamingWithBelle.
The air at the Boorowa Showground was thick with a mixture of late-winter chill and the palpable tension of a major semi-final.
For over a decade, the rivalry between the Boorowa Goldies and the Harden Red Devils had been one of the most compelling narratives in the South West Fuels Cup. Their contests were never one-sided; they were always brutal, high-quality, and decided by the slimmest of margins.
This Saturday, however, the stakes were higher than ever. The winner would not just advance—they would secure a coveted home grand final, a feat the Boorowa Goldies had not accomplished in a staggering twenty-two years. The crowd, a sea of gold and red, hummed with anticipation as the teams took to the field. Boorowa, playing on their home turf, looked determined. The Red Devils, known for their relentless forward pack and skilful backline, were not to be intimidated. As the whistle blew, signalling the start of the game, a collective roar erupted from the stands.
The Goldies came out firing, their forwards driving with a ferocity that seemed to shake the very ground. Within the first few minutes, the ball found its way out to the wing. A swift, decisive pass put Josh Carmody into space, and he sprinted down the sideline, diving spectacularly into the corner for the opening try. The crowd erupted, a wave of golden cheers washing over the pitch. Carmody’s kick, however, drifted wide, leaving the score at a precarious 5-0.
The rest of the first half was a masterclass in defensive resilience. Both teams put their bodies on the line, tackles ringing out like thunderclaps. The match settled into a grinding, see-sawing affair. The Goldies’ forwards, a “good, solid, tight five” led by their 120-kilo prop, held their own against Harden’s relentless pressure. Despite some unforced errors that the Goldies would later admit made it “tough for ourselves,” their scrambling defence held firm.
Harden’s attack, with tries from Jeremy Martin, Jack Glover, Ollie Fairfield Smith, and Jack Alcorn listed in the records, was a constant threat, but time and again, Boorowa found a way to repel them. Just as the half-time whistle loomed, Harden broke through, scoring a crucial try to level the scores at 5-5 as the teams headed into the break.
The second half began with a noticeable increase in intensity. The coaches’ words had clearly lit a fire under both squads, and the physical contest became even more brutal. The Goldies, understanding the need for control, focused on their strengths. Their scrum, a source of immense power all season, proved its worth once again. After a series of dominant scrums, the forwards created a perfect platform, allowing Michael Berry to crash over the line for a try. Carmody slotted the conversion, and suddenly, the Goldies had a comfortable 12-5 lead. Soon after, Carmody added a penalty goal, extending the gap to 15-5.
Just when it seemed Boorowa had seized control, the game took a turn towards the chaotic. In quick succession, both teams scored charge-down tries—a testament to the high-stakes, frantic nature of the match. The crowd held its breath with every kick and every pass, as the scoreboard jumped to 22-10 in favor of the Goldies. This lead was largely due to a moment of sheer brilliance from Richard “Dick” Manion. The Goldies’ fly-half, a veteran presence at number 10, “turned back the clock” with an incredible individual effort, weaving his way through the Red Devils’ defence to score a try that exemplified his leadership and game-controlling ability. He was, as his teammates would later attest, a player who provided “a good amount of leadership and maturity” and “reads the game very well.” But the Red Devils were far from finished. Displaying the heart and grit that had made them a rival for seasons, Harden rallied. They scored twice more, tightening the game to a nail-biting 22-20.
The final minutes were a blur of desperate tackles, spilled balls, and the frantic ticking of the clock. Every pass seemed to hang in the air for an eternity, every kick was met with a chorus of gasps from the stands. The entire crowd was on the edge of its collective seat, a unified organism of hope and anxiety. As the clock ran down to its final seconds, the Goldies, with their forwards digging deep one last time, found themselves in striking distance. The play was gritty, a true test of their will to win.
In a final, momentous effort, the ball found its way into the hands of Michael Berry, who, for the second time that day, powered his way over the try line. The final whistle blew. The score was 27-20. A moment of stunned silence was followed by an explosion of pure joy.
The Goldies celebrated not just a victory, but a moment that had been 22 years in the making. The players embraced, their faces a mixture of exhaustion and elation. Keagan Size, a veteran of many tough seasons, stood with his teammates, the emotion clear on his face.
“We found a way to win and grind it out,” he’d say later. “It’s just about controlling and not trying to play stupidly fast free-flowing rugby like we can. That is when we force too many errors and put ourselves under far too much pressure.” He would add that the home grand final was going to be “massive for us.” Amidst the celebration, there was also a shared sense of respect. The Goldies knew they had been in a battle with a “good group of blokes, very similar to us.” The prop’s pre-match thoughts—that “whoever has to be steamrolled will be steamrolled regardless of friendships, you can still be friends after”—rang true in the spirit of the post-match handshakes. While the job had been done, the camaraderie between the two clubs was evident. For now, the Goldies would turn their attention to the next challenge, knowing that there was still “a bit of work to be done yet.” But for this moment, they were content to bask in the golden glow of a historic victory and the promise of a home grand final.
– Tully Potts
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