Sport
30 April, 2025
Roos supporters delighted after round one success
Round one of the 2025 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League
Many supporters of the Coolah Kangaroos would have left Coolah’s Bowen Oval last Saturday afternoon well-pleased with the performance of both their sides against the visiting Narromine Jets in the opening round of the 2025 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League competition.
The afternoon opened up with a re-match of the 2024 league tag grand final in which the Jets came-away with the premiership following a thrilling 14-10 victory over the Flyers.
This time around, however, the result was well and truly reversed with the Flyers registering a very impressive 34-10 victory with their dynamic fullback Brooklyn Blackadder crossing for five tries.
The First Grade encounter also involved the home side defending the Boronia Cup for the sixth time and — just as it was in 2024 — Bowen Oval proved to be an impenetrable fortress for visiting teams with the Roos recording a solid 26-16 win over the Jets.
That win now sets-up an absolute blockbuster Boronia Cup Challenge game against Cobar Roosters this coming Saturday with the game also being a grand final re-match between the two sides.
The Roosters also started their 2025 campaign off in fine style by providing the Warren Bulldogs with a reality check in their game played at Warren’s Victoria Park.
The Roosters had the game well and truly sewn-up at half-time with a 34-0 lead and, whilst the home side slowed the scoreboard down in the second half, the visitors still strutted from the field with a 50-0 flogging under their belts.
That win made it a double for the Roosters, who also took the league tag with a narrow 18-14 victory.
Also scoring two wins, were the Dunedoo Swans in their games against the Coonamble Bears at Coonamble with the Swannette’s Chelsea Gallagher crossing for an incredible eight tries in her side's big 68-14 win over the home side.
In First Grade, the Swans continued the good form that they showed in the knockout a couple of weeks ago and, after leading 16-12 at the break, they were able to extend the four points difference to 10 to come-away with a tough 36-26 win.
At Coonabarabran, the Unicorns were always in control of their game against the Gulgong Bull Terriers, at one stage leading 48-6 before taking the game 54-18. The home side also got up in the Ladies League Tag in what was a close affair, winning 14-10.
The Baradine Magpies also had la close finish against the Gilgandra Pink Panthers at Baradine in the Ladies League Tag, the final score being 14-10.
Turning to Round Two of the competition this weekend, the obvious match of the round will again take place at Coolah, when the Kangaroos entertain their grand final opponents from last year, the Cobar Roosters, in a Boronia Cup challenge game.
The Roosters were the only side to lower Coolah’s colours last year, that being in the preliminary final played at Dunedoo, and they will be out to erase the memory of their lacklustre performance in the Grand Final to wrest the Boronia Cup from the Roos — setting the scene for a great game of rugby league.
In the League Tag, the Jessica Skinner Challenge Cup match between the Narromine Jets and the Dunedoo Swannettes, shapes-up as another enthralling game between two sides who have had some epic battles in recent times.
The Swannettes are coming-off a big win over Coonamble, whilst the Jets tasted defeat for the first time since 2023 when they were well-beaten by Coolah last Saturday, and will now no doubt be looking to bounce-back.
The First Grade encounter at Narromine should also be well worth viewing with the Swans surprising everyone so far this year, whilst the Jets will be out to kick-start their season with a win at home.
