After what looked like it was going to be a close, tough game, the Cobar Roosters ran away to easily beat Collarenebri 66-12 in Saturday’s Barwon Darling Cup First Grade rugby league game on Saturday.
Played in front of a vocal crowd at Tom Knight Memorial Oval, the game started well with both sides putting in some tough defence to keep the other scoreless.
That was until a well-weighted kick from David Watson close to the line found its mark in Will Whitton deep in the corner.
Whitton leapt high to retrieve the ball and scored Cobar’s first points in sensational style.
Collarenebri hit back with a try of their own and the subsequent successful conversion put them ahead 6-4 midway through the first half.
An altercation close to the Bulldogs’ line resulted in two Bulldogs and a Roosters player sent off for the match while another Cobar player was ordered to spend 10 minutes in the sin bin for the part that he played in the affray.
From the ensuing penalty Watson barged his way over for Cobar to take back the lead 8-6.
It wasn’t long before Watson was again over for his double.
Soon after Chris Deighton scored his first try out wide before then showing a clean pair of heels right on half time to score his second try of the half after an 80 metre run.
Deighton’s second put the Roosters ahead 24-6 at the break.
The second half went all the Roosters’ way with captain Tim Hillam returning to the field from injury to score four second half tries.
Coach Ben Trudgett, who joined his side on the field this week to bolster the second row, said it was a very good effort by the team
“Although Colli scored a try in the second half it was a great game defensively.
“Our attack played well with the outside backs combining for 12 out of the 13 tries,” Trudgett said.
Hillman finished with a tally of four tries for the match, Deighton (3), Whitton (2), Watson (2), Jed Noonan (1) and Ben Simon (1).
Brandon Jones kicked six conversions for the Roosters and Watson added two. Hillam collected the game’s Best and Fairest points.
This Saturday the Roosters will take on Lightning Ridge with the match to be played at Goodooga.
