The Cobar Roosters recorded a 22-14 win over Dunedoo in the Christie & Hood Castlereagh First Grade qualifying semi final on Saturday at Dunedoo and are on the home stretch to the final.
Played in breezy conditions at Dunedoo’s Robertson Oval, the Roosters managed to come back from an 8-0 deficit early in proceedings against the Swans to claw their way back on the scoreboard to have it reading 8-all at the break courtesy of a converted try and then a penalty goal right on the half time siren.
Their momentum carried them to a 16-8 lead in the second half before the Swans’ centre Villiame Turuva scored his third try for the afternoon to make it 16-14 and then it was very much game on.
Tim Hillam’s second try for the Roosters gave them a bit of breathing space, extending their lead out to eight at 22-14.
With tensions running high in both camps, the final quarter of the match saw a Cobar player binned and a Dunedoo player sent off with 15 minutes remaining following a dust up. When the binned Rooster rejoined the fray with just five minutes to go, his place in the foul house was quickly taken up by two more Roosters which presented the Swans with a great opportunity to breach the Cobar defensive line.
However despite their best efforts to do just that, the Roosters managed to hold their line in tact to secure the victory and a shot at hosting the 2023 grand final if they can beat Gulgong this Saturday.
The major semi finals will be played at Gulgong on Saturday and the minor semis at Dunedoo on Sunday.
By the time the Cobar Roosters First Grade side get home after their major semi final game against the Gulgong Terriers this week, they will have travelled some 4,600 kilometres to play in their last six games, a distance greater than driving from Sydney to Perth (and 600 kilometres of the way back)!
Obviously, they will be relishing the prospect of securing the home game that will be forthcoming from their match against the Terriers, but the question is, will it be the grand final or preliminary final?
