The wind whipped across the field, a restless presence carrying the cheers of the crowd and the promise of a grand final.
For the Boorowa Goldies, it wasn’t just a game; it was a reckoning.
A year earlier, the sting of defeat had lingered, a bitter taste that no amount of time could wash away.
Today, with the South West Fuels Cup on the line against their rivals, the Harden Red Devils, they were here to finish what they had started. From the moment the whistle blew, it was clear that Boorowa’s game plan was rooted in simple, brutal efficiency. Their forwards were a wall of relentless pressure, driving the ball up the field with powerful carries, while a smart kicking game, aided by the swirling wind, kept the Red Devils pinned deep in their own territory.
The strategy paid dividends almost immediately.
The Goldies dominated possession, and with every phase, the defensive line of the Red Devils seemed to bend a little more. Captain-coach Keagan Size was in the thick of things, pleased with his team’s execution.
“We controlled the ball quite well in the first half, and building up pressure, we were able to score two tries,” he would later reflect.
The first, a testament to pure grit, came from Mark Poplin, who powered over the line.
The second was a result of smart play and quick hands, with Josh Sloane touching down. Yet, despite their territorial advantage, the score didn’t blow out. Harden’s defence was proving to be a formidable force.
“Credit to them,” Size said, a note of genuine respect in his voice, “their defence was so strong. The amount of possession that we maintained, as well as holding possession quite well, for us to only score two tries in the first half was a credit to them.”
Boorowa knew they could have scored more if their final passes had stuck, but Harden’s heart was on full display. “They definitely defended with all their heart,” Size noted.
The halftime whistle blew with Boorowa ahead, but the work was far from over.
The second half began with a renewed intensity. The Red Devils, refusing to lie down, found a fresh burst of energy and fought their way back into the contest. They capitalised on a lapse in the Goldies’ defence, and with a powerful run, Jarrod Keelan broke through to score for Harden. The try galvanised the Red Devils and their supporters.
The game was far from decided, and the air crackled with tension. “We invited them back in there straight after half time, and they were in it until the end,” Keagan admitted, “They still could have scored three tries in the last 10 minutes. They’ve probably got enough fire-power in their two centres to do that. We were just fortunate enough to hold strong and keep scoring more points ourselves.”
The Goldies’ forward pack, a dominant force all day, delivered the final, decisive blow. After a scrum near Harden’s try line, the Goldies’ pack locked in, a single-minded force of nature driving towards glory.
Amidst the chaos of the push, a try was scored. The debate would rage for years to come. Was it Rob Stirzaker, the wily scrum-half, or Toby McGrath, the quick-witted hooker? The coach had his own humorous take. “It’ll be debated for a lot of years about who scored that out of Rob Stirzaker and Toby McGrath. In my opinion, the 9 shouldn’t be scoring scrum tries, so I’ll give it to McGrath.” He joked, the laugh lines around his eyes crinkling. That try was a dagger, sealing the win at 19-5.
When the final whistle sounded, the field erupted. The players embraced, a tangle of bodies and pure, unadulterated joy. A year of frustration had been released in a single moment.
For the Goldies, this wasn’t a victory that just happened. It was a result of unwavering dedication. The memory of last year’s loss had been their greatest motivator. “The best motivation was probably 85% of the team that played in the losing grand final last year. That was definitely a big thing,” Size explained.
The team’s commitment to each other and the club was evident in their preseason. “Commitment to training, and we had solid numbers the whole year through. A really good pre-season and plenty of fitness and miles in the legs, and we travelled quite well throughout the majority of the season.” It was a team built on consistency and hard work.
In a game where every player rose to the occasion, a few stood out for their exceptional performance. Justin Flannery, George Chudleigh, and Josh Sloane were among the best on the day, but it was Dick Manion who truly controlled the flow of the game, with his experience proving invaluable.
“You can’t put a figure on how big his (Mannion’s) experience around the game is,” Size said, full of admiration.
The win was a tribute to the team, the supporters, and the club as a whole. It was a victory for Boorowa, a town that lives and breathes its rugby. “It doesn’t just happen. You have to work hard, and you have to turn up and make it happen. You are not going to be gifted it,” Size stated, a truth that resonated with everyone. The Goldies had earned it.
The post-game celebrations, he predicted, would be extensive. “There are still boys going now,” he said with a wry smile, knowing the party would go well into the week.
Ultimately, the match was a perfect representation of country rugby, played with grit, heart, and respect. Harden, a class side with solid defence, had pushed them to the limit, never giving up.
“That’s probably a really good representation of country rugby and the spirit it should be played in,” Size concluded, with an appreciation for his opponents.
“They’re a really good club, really good supporters, sponsors, like-wise to us, a very similar group of blokes, very agricultural, farming dominance there too.”
The Goldies’ victory was sweet, made all the more meaningful by the hard-fought battle and the respect shown between the two clubs.
– Tully Potts
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