The bulk of Forbes’ 2016 Group 11 outfit wasn’t even alive when the Magpies last won a premiership and the emotion they and the supporters showed at full time proved just how much it meant to not only the club, but the town.
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The Magpies proved right that old adage ‘the best team on the day wins’ and while Dubbo CYMS went into the decider as the defending two-time premiers, it was the Magpies who scored an incredible 26-22 upset at Caltex Park on Sunday.
“The last final we were in was 2004 and the last premiership was 1987 so it’s been a long time,” victorious captain coach Jake Grace, who also won the Bob Weir Medal as best on ground, said.
“Most of these boys weren’t born when the last one was won but now it’s back at Forbes for the year.”
CYMS failed to play its best all match but there was no arguments about the result.
The Magpies were hungry and determined and the powerful forward pack lived up to its billing and barged through the middle time and time again, particularly in the second half.
The Fishies led 10-4 at the break and were on track for a rare hat-trick of titles but the Magpies scored four tries to two in the second stanza, with teenage centre Mitch Andrews’ effort with four to go sealing the result.
“It was a really good game and it’s a bit tough to take but that’s grand finals, there’s winners and losers and we lost today,” CYMS coach Tim Ryan said.
“We made errors and completion was under 50% each half and you can’t win footy games like that.
“They (players) have every right to be down, it’s a grand final and that’s the way it goes but we’ll stick it out.”
After losing Luke Jenkins early on, he came back in the second half, to a head knock from a head-high tackle from Zac Merrit, CYMS struck first through Colby Pellow before the sides traded tries against the run of play before half time.
Forbes scored first after the break through Ethan Gaffney and while Alex Ronayne and Jyie Chapman crossed for the Fishies the momentum was all with the Magpies.
Barnstorming prop Merritt, who was again outstanding and arguably the most in-form player in Group 11, capitalised on that to score with eight to go to have his side trailing by just two and then Andrews planted the ball down in the corner to get his side in front.
“On top of the world,” Grace said after the win.
“I couldn’t have asked to do it with a better bunch of boys. There were times in that game when we could have let that game slip, the Fishies kept coming hard, but the Magpies came harder and won it. They’ve been the best team all year but honestly we’ve been working hard...and from the start we believed in ourselves.”
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
