Sport
26 April, 2024
Duggan Boots Wattles to Victory
A field goal by half back Matt Duggan in the dying minutes of the Round 3 Toowoomba Rugby League clash between the Stillwater Pastoral Company Wattles Warriors and Valleys Roosters at Clifton’s Platz Oval saw the home side Warriors snatch a vital victory 17 – 16.
Coach Travis Burns couldn’t have been happier with the effort of his Wattles A Graders as they eased back into the winner’s circle on a rain drenched home base outlasting the Roosters in an absolute nail biter.
The success was the Wattles top side’s second win in the opening three outings of the 2024 TRL season, bouncing back from a disappointing loss to an impressive Warwick Cowboys outfit last week.
Aside from the Matt Duggan field goal, Wattles win came on the back of a shining performance by towering 23-year-old front-row debutant Neihana Oldham who was named the Hutchinson Builders Man of the Match.
The 190 cm & 110 kg Oldham is linked to the Western Clydesdales, with a resume that includes playing for the Newcastle Knights in the New South Wales Rugby League Under 19 SG Ball competition, and also with the Manly Sea-Eagles in the Under 20 Jersey Flegg Cup.
Wattles pack earned their spurs against the physical Roosters outfit, with Ty Gardner, Tyson Stevens and Alex Donn all posting impressive performances alongside Oldham.
In a rough and tumble affair, the Platz Oval sin-bin was somewhat overworked with Wattles and Valleys having two players each with enforced ten-minute breaks.
Wattles hit the ground running in the game’s opening stages when back-rower & skipper Ty Gardner followed a deft kick by halfback Duggan to dive over and score allowing a 6 – 0 green and gold lead after just two minutes.
Valleys peppered Wattles line around the ten-minute mark, the home side holding out three sets before Roosters backline speedster Dylan Chown found a chink in the armour to touchdown.
Mid-field action certainly wasn’t for the faint of heart with bruising defence in the trying conditions, before Valleys lost Declan Buckley and Wattles Jacob Leach to the sin bin in the 36th minute.
Wattles fullback Jackson Green also took the walk to the bin a minute later after another fiery exchange, leading in to half time with the Warriors ahead 6 – 4.
It was the Roosters who next altered the scoreboard to a 10 - 6 lead when second-rower Kooper Diment sailed in for a vital four-pointer five minutes into the second stanza.
Giant Valleys three-quarter Dwayne Duncan was dispatched to the sin bin ten minutes later, and the home side took advantage of their opponents being a man short as elusive centre Matt Christensen found space to score.
Off a Brayden Paix off load, skipper Gardner broke the shackles of the 10 – 10 scoreline crossing to claim his second touchdown with fifteen minutes to play shunting his Warriors ahead 16 – 10.
The Rooster spirit was far from done though, and when slick finisher Alex Hinch chased down a Dylan Chown grubber to the south west corner of Platz Oval the scores were again locked, this time at 16 – 16 with just minutes remaining on the match clock.
An error from the restart that gave Wattles possession deep in Valleys’ territory was the card Wattles needed for an opportunity to snatch the game.
The plan obvious as ‘Cool Hand’ Matt Duggan positioned himself despite heavy opposition traffic for a successful field goal shot from twenty metres out and in front of the posts.
While Travis Burns rated his team’s defence highly, “our attack needs some fine tuning” in preparation for this Sunday’s clash with the Brothers Leprechauns at Toowoomba’s Glenholme Park.
Wattles 17 (Ty Gardner 2, Matt Christensen tries; Braydon Paix 2 goals, Matt Duggan Field Goal). Valleys 16 (Dylan Chown, Kooper Diment, Alex Hinch tries, Dwayne Duncan 2 goals)
Reserve Grade - Valleys 18 (Aaron Hooper, Connor Edwards, Jaren Bender tries; Jaren Bender 3 goals). Farm Spray Wattles 14 (Ryan Stevens, Cameron Shannon, Ben Comerford tries; Tom Morris Pen Goal)
Under 19 - Valleys 18 (Will Holley, Mason Watson, Jack Stenzel, Riccardo Burns tries: Mason Watson goal). Black Toyota – Warwick Wattles 6 (Bryce Stewart try; Koby De Luca goal).
- Glyn Rees
