Sport
12 September, 2023
Curtain falls on Grand Final hopes
Wattles Reserve Grade team was hoping for a different outcome from the seventy minutes of fierce Toowoomba Rugby League (TRL) Preliminary Final action on Sunday afternoon at Clive Berghofer Stadium, alas despite a sterling effort the lads in green and gold finished behind the Dalby Diehards 26 to 34 and fell out of 2023 Grand Final contention.
The match was fair dinkum finals football, some classic tackles, grandstand shuddering defence and eye-catching attacking play that saw the Diehards run in six tries to five by the Warriors.
Wattles had numerous opportunities to reel in further points but they just didn’t gel, and the Dalby defence was well up to the task.
Crafty hooker Jack Duggan and winger Warren Draper were outstanding in green and gold
Wattles’ forward pack stood up to all Dalby offered with Tom Duggan, Aaron Scheid, Dan Rub and Tim Duggan shining from the front.
Half-back Michael Duggan put in his usual never say die effort while full-back Joey Willett was an ever-present danger in attack and safe as houses under the high ball.
The result will see Dalby take the field next Saturday in the season decider against the Valleys Roosters, who edged the Warriors out of last Sunday week’s Qualifying Final 13 – 12 in a bell ringer of a game.
Coach Tony Morris can certainly pin the results of the 2023 season to his resumé proudly.
His first year as a senior grade coach saw him guiding his squad to a President’s Cup final, a TRL Minor Premiership and all but snatching a Grand Final berth.
Sunday’s big game saw the first stanza a tit-for-tat affair with three tries apiece for the Warriors and Diehards.
Warren Draper snared a touchdown after just four minutes to have Wattles ahead 6 – 0, but when quicksilver centre Brian-Adam Babington found room on Wattles’ left side to nail his side’s first points, the scoreboard was locked at 6 – 6.
Clever footwork close to the Dalby try line resulted in Wattles’ second try by classy five-eighth Josh Henry, to regain the lead 12 – 6.
The Diehards put the pedal to the metal though pocketing two four-pointers in the space of five minutes through their five-eighth Kristian Bond and giant bench front-rower Tupou Lecavanavanua.
Dalby appeared to be going to enjoy an 18 – 12 advantage at half time, until Wattles vice-captain Tim Hentschel burst through from five metres out with a minute to spare before the break, and level the ledger at 18 – 18.
The Diehards’ attacking game lifted to another level after the restart running in three touchdowns in eighteen minutes to
race to a 34 – 18 lead, pinning the Warriors on the back foot.
With fifteen minutes on the match clock Warriors’ skipper Jordan Henry combined with brother Josh to send left side
finisher Alex Morris over for a much needed try for Wattles to claw back to trail 22 – 34.
The Diehards numbers diminished by two for the final eight minutes of the game after a player was sent off and another sin-binned.
Wattles earned a finaltry with a minute remaining in the game when centre and Toowoomba Rugby League 2023 season top reserve grade try-scorer Braydon Wilson crossed for Wattles to reach their final total.
Dalby 34 defeated Wattles 26 (Warren Draper, Josh Henry, Tim Hentschel, Alex Morris, Braydon Wilson tries; Joe Willett 3 goals).
The season will be celebrated to the utmost at Wattles’ Presentation Night and Banquet at Clifton’s F. E. Logan Hall on Saturday October 14th from 5.30pm.
- Glyn Rees
