After nearly 100 minutes of football, numerous missed field-goal attempts and 16 tries, BAC Walgett were crowned champions of the NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout at Rugby League Park in Armidale on Monday.
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They won 48-44 in extra time over the Mindaribba Warriors to claim their fourth knockout and their first in almost two decades.
Both sides had plenty of opportunities to win the match after scores were locked at 44-all at the end of 80 minutes, but it was Walgett who came up with the goods when Shaun Daylight backed himself to cross in the corner for his second try of the game.
His first came late in the second half to close the gap to 42-38 with 10 minutes to play.
Player of the series Michael Lett, who has played with both the Dragons and Roosters in the NRL, continued his sensational weekend form to open the scoring for Walgett just a minute into the match.
Minderibba evened things up through Jarvis Watton five minutes later, before Ryan Walker scored to put Minderibba ahead 12-6.
Two tries in five minutes put Walgett ahead 16-12 before Lett scored his second to open up a 10-point gap.
Minderibba missed a golden opportunity to pull one back before Walgett five-eighth Matt Rose scored his second with a brilliant solo effort to extend the lead to 28-12.
Mindaribba’s Rabbitohs halfback Chris Sandow laid a beautiful offload for George Kepa to bring things back to 28-18 before Walker scored his second for a 28-24 half-time scoreline.
Walgett took the lead four minutes into the second half through recent Wests Tigers signing Tohi Leha, before Minderibba’s Dennis Sandow crossed to bring the score to 34-30.
Joey Griffiths then levelled things up before Chris Sandow kicked the Warriors ahead 36-34.
Walker bagged a third to give Minderibba an eight-point lead, before Daylight bagged his first to reduce the lead to four points.
Sandow was knocked to the ground with eight minutes to play, but recovered to kick a penalty to put the Warriors up 44-38.
Manly’s George Rose crossed with just two minutes to go to level the scores.
Both teams missed field goal opportunities in extra time.
Sandow failed to slot a penalty that would have given the Warriors a golden-point win, but it was Walgett who scored the all important final try with three minutes remaining in the second period of added time.
Players, officials and spectators were all over the moon with the result.
“It’s a very special day for us to win it, with 40 years of the knockout being celebrated next year,” club chairperson Daniel Rose said.
Earlier in the day the Waterloo Storm defeated North Casino to take the women’s title, while Moree were too good for the Narwan Eels in the under-17s division.
