Roosters defeat Ghosts in close game at Nambucca Heads

A COOLER than average Sunday afternoon in the Nambucca Valley greeted the Grafton Ghosts who came south to meet the Nambucca Roosters at Coronation Park for Round 10 of the Group 2 rugby league competition.

By the time the first-grade players hit the paddock the appreciative crowd had been sufficiently warmed up by three great games of footy in the minor grades on what was the Nambucca Roosters’ Indigenous Round.

The Roosters players were proudly wearing a jersey featuring the stunning indigenous art work of Gumbaynggirr artist Tehnaya West, who is also a player in the Roosters Junior RLFC.

Local businesses got behind the Indigenous Round through sponsorship to enable the production of the special jerseys.

The under-18s sponsor was Ingenia Holiday Parks, reserve grade was Group 1 Distributors, women’s tackle was Coffs Coast Floor and Wall Tilers and first grade was sponsored by the V Wall Tavern.

Following the stirring welcome to country by Uncle Mickle Jarrett, the match began with a fiery intensity that carried on throughout the game, with the first five minutes of play being punctuated by two short stoppages for injuries.

The home team looked certain to score at the five and a half minutes mark when Robbie Inglis, showing the same form he displayed the previous week, made a break for the line only to be wrapped up by a Grafton try-saver inches away from points.

A number of classy Roosters attacking plays down the right side followed but did not meet with success.

It was Grafton fullback Brandon Williams who was first to light up the scoreboard, putting one down under the posts, converted by Cooper Woods, and the visitors went to a 6-0 lead.

It took the Roosters a full seven minutes to answer that try with one of their own, coming from Zac Johnson in full flight, getting it under the posts and giving Tyreece Sines an unmissable conversion, evening up the score to 6-6.

For the next 10 minutes the game was slogged out, predominantly in the middle of the park, with no team’s line really coming under pressure.

It was Grafton’s Adam Slater who ultimately broke the deadlock with a try, Woods adding the extras and Grafton went to a 12-6 lead.

With 10 minutes left in the half a significant injury, incurred by a Grafton player, required an ambulance to come into the ground and play was halted for nearly 20 minutes.

When play resumed it was the home side who regained the initiative with an accurate Tyreece Sines kick into the arms of Issac Jones in great field position added more points for the Roosters. Sines converted and the game went back to being neck and neck, the score 12-12.

Five minutes later Sines repeated his pin-point kicking, this time getting Jake Saunders over the line. The try was not converted and Roosters took the lead to half-time,16-12.

It took less than two minutes into the second half for the Roosters to score again with Robbie Inglis getting over the line in the left corner. The conversion was unsuccessful and the home side extended their lead to 20-12.

Eight minutes later an error in the in-goal area by Grafton set up an Anthony Cowan try, which was not converted. The Roosters lead was extended to 24-12.

At this point the Ghosts mounted a spirited fight-back with Rhys Davis picking up a try, converted again by Woods, and the gap was closed to 24-18.

Five minutes later another Grafton try, converted, locked up the game 24-all.

With the game in the balance and 11 minutes left to play, Brody Simon crashed through the Grafton defensive line for a try, not converted, and they were the last points of the afternoon.

The Roosters took the win 28-24 in a cracking game that could have gone either way.

The under 18s game got away from the Roosters, with Grafton getting the win in a close game at 22-18.

The women’s tackle match-up was a very entertaining clash, with the Nambucca ladies running away with it, the score 24-6.

Reserve grade was another riveting game of rugby league with the visitors edged out the Roosters 24-22.

The Roosters now have a group bye next week with another bye the week after. They will not play again until they head to Woolgoolga in Round 12.

By Mick BIRTLES