Played in less than balmy conditions with an arctic wind sweeping across the field, the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League grand finals, played at Coolah’s Bowen Oval, none the less attracted a great crowd that soon warmed to the on-field action.

Kicking off the day was the reserve grade game played between the Binnaway Bombshells and the Baradine Magpies which saw the Bombies ahead 10 nil at half time and then going on with the job in the second half to come away with an 18 to 6 win and the Premiership Shield leaving the Magpies lamenting what was their worst performance for the season.

The League Tag grand final turned out to be an absolute nail biter between the Coolah Flyers and the Dunedoo Swannettes with the winner of the very high standard and thrilling game literally not known until the final second of the enthralling encounter.

The Flyers held a 12 to 8 lead at the break after both sides had scored two tries apiece in the opening half before the Swannettes drew level 12 all with another try after the break and then with 10 minutes remaining, they edged ahead with their fourth of the match to take the lead 16 to 12.

The Flyers responded five minutes later with a converted try to make the scoreboard read 18 to 16 in their favour and set up what was to be a tense finish that had supporters from both sides screaming encouragement as their respective sides alternated between periods of scintillating attack and desperate defence.

With less than five seconds to go a Swannettes raid down the right side was stopped just centimetres short of the line and then in the final second of the game it appeared that the Swannies had claimed a miraculous victory as one of their players speared over the line, only to be penalised for having only one tag, the other tag being lost in the prior frenzied attack and it was to be a Flyers victory much to the delight of their home crowd.

Coolah Flyers are Castlereagh Leaguetag Premiers.

The Swannettes certainly gave it their all, and in fact scored four tries to three during the game.

But the Flyers were not to be denied, and having lost last year’s grand final and suffering only one defeat in 2025, that being to the Swannettes two weeks prior in the major semi, the Premiership Shield now sits alongside the Jessica Skinner Challenge Cup in the their trophy cabinet.

The league tag game certainly had the large crowd buzzing, and the platform was set for the final showdown in the 2025 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League season.

The highly anticipated clash between the undefeated Coolah Kangaroos and the Coonabarabran Unicorns who had pushed them to the limit in their previous two meetings did not disappoint.

With the strong wind whipping across the ground it soon became apparent that kicking was going to play an important part in proceedings and indeed it did, with the first points coming in the 9^th minute when Coolah’s front rower Chanse Burgess put a deft grubber through the Unicorns defensive line which was duly grounded by his lock, Hugh Wesley and with the conversion being successful the ‘Roos were up six points to nil.

Coonabarabran almost replied in kind some ten minutes later when their half Peter Watton nearly regathered a grubber that he had put in, but to the dismay of the Unicorn faithful he lost possession over the line.

The visitors continued to apply pressure but the Coolah defence stood solid and eventually play moved down the other end of the field and then another grubber kick was again put in, resulting in a Coonabarabran player spilling the ball when trying to clean it up, the ball then picked up by Coolah’s Tyler Lennox who dived over to score what was to become a converted try and a 12 points to nil lead to the red and whites.

With half time looming the Unicorns needed to get on the scoreboard before the break which is exactly what they did via a try to their talented centre Brad Fuller.

Nick Willoughby added the extras, and the scoreboard read 12 points to six as they players trooped to the sheds.

Fuller was at it again almost immediately after the resumption of play when following a good Coonabarabran attack down the right flank a kick was put in and the ball was not cleaned up by Coolah but was readily accepted by Fuller who dived over out wide to score.

A magnificent sideline conversion in difficult conditions by Willoughby locked the scores up at 12 all and it was very much a case of game on!

Some eight minutes later, the ‘Roos were in again, with the grubber kick being the attacking weapon of choice, this time their half back Dan Lane being the beneficiary and also the kicker of the conversion to make it 18 to 12 to his side.

With 18 minutes elapsed in the second half the ‘Roos added another six points to that tally, when, for a bit of variety, a swirling bomb was put up, coming down in open territory, the track of the subsequent bounce causing a Coonabarabran player to slip over when he had to change direction, presenting Coolah’s fullback Jack Piper with an opportunity to pounce on the ball in goal, that opportunity being readily accepted, and with Lane’s conversion going over the black dot the home side held what looked to be a handy 24 to 12 with one quarter of the game remaining.

Coolah Kangaroos - First Grade Premiers. [IMAGE: Peter Sherwood Photography]

The situation looked even rosier for the ‘Roos not long after when a Unicorn player was sent to the bin, but rather incredibly it was to be the visitors who registered the only points during that period of play, with their winger Sonny Bill Walker finishing off some quick hands along the backline to score in the corner. Another great sideline conversion by Willoughby set up what was to be another grandstand finish on grand final day, with just six points separating the two teams and five minutes remaining on the clock.

With the Unicorns enjoying plenty of possession and good field position and throwing everything at them, the Kangaroos were called on to defend desperately throughout those final minutes which they somehow did to come away with a hard fought 24 to 18 victory.

Certainly, the Unicorns can be proud of their effort on the day and throughout the season, but the spoils belong to the Coolah Kangaroos, with the Premiership Shield and the Castlereagh Cup taking pride of place along with all the other Castlereagh League silverware available to them, that being the Knockout Shield and the Boronia Cup.

During the day presentations were made to the Castlereagh Players of the Year, those being Mab Fuller from the Warren Bulldogs (League Tag) and Chanse Burgess (Coolah Kangaroos) and Nick Willoughby (Coonabarabran Unicorns) who tied for the Castlereagh League Player of the Year.

Recognition was also given to Dunedoo Swannette, Emily Hedge, for her life saving efforts at a game played at Dunedoo during the year.

The size of the crowd and the football played on the day was a fitting tribute to the popularity and standard of the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League competition.

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Grand Final scores.

Played at Bowen Oval, Coolah, Saturday 30 August 2025.

Reserve Grade

Binnaway Bombshells 18 (Travis Elwell, Dane Anastasis, Liam Doyle tries, Travis Tighe 2, Tom Magann goals) defeated Baradine Magpies 6 (Dylan Hohnberg try, Jai Cain goal).

Player of the Grand Final, Chris Daley (Binnaway Bombshells).

League Tag.

Coolah Flyers 18 (Molly Burgess 2, Breannah Burgess tries, Tori Mogg 3 goals) defeated Dunedoo Swannettes 16 (Alexis Gallagher 2, Shelley Cox, Jessie Newton tries)

Player of the Grand Final, Molly Burgess (Coolah Flyers)

Castlereagh League League Tag Player of the Year, Mab Fuller (Warren Bulldogs)

Emily Hedger and Peter Stanley. [IMAGE: Peter Sherwood Photography]

First Grade.

Coolah Kangaroos 24 (Jack Piper, Dan Lane, Hugh Wesley, Tyler Lennox tries, Lane 4 goals) defeated Coonabarabran Unicorns 18 (Brad Fuller 2, Sonny Bill Walker tries, Nick Willoughby 3 goals).

Player of the Grand Final, Dan Lane (Coolah Kangaroos).

Castlereagh League Players of the Year (tied) Chanse Burgess (Coolah Kangaroos) and Nick Willoughby (Coonabarabran Unicorns).