Given their relative standings on the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League first grade competition ladder going into their game against the Dunedoo Swans at Dunedoo on Saturday 5 July the Narromine Jets would have been at relative short odds to emerge as the winner.

Those odds would have lengthened somewhat when they had a player sent from the field in the first minute of the game!

Those odds would have edged out a little further in the 28^th minute when they had another player sent to the sin bin for ten minutes.

Mid way through the second half punters would have been able to secure a huge payout on the Jets being the winners after they had another two players sent off, with the odds of a victory further increasing when they yet another player in the bin with 12 minutes remaining in the game.

Yet somehow, they did win.

It must be said that two Dunedoo players also cooled their heels in the sin bin mid-way through the first half in what was a match that will be long talked about.

In between all the trips to, and sometimes back, from the dressing sheds there was some football played and at half time the visitors were up 18 to 14, with two sweeping backline movements by the Swans just before the break both resulting in unconverted tries reeling in an 18 to 6 lead held by the Jets up until the 33^rd minute..\

Narromine got their second half off to a great start with when their centre Washie Itoya scored his third try for the game in the first minute after the resumption of play which was very shortly followed up by a try to captain coach Corey Cox and with both converted the Jets held a very handy 16 point lead.

A dashing 75 metre run by the Swan’s half back to score after he scooped up a loose ball saw him score out wide and a great sideline conversion by Ty Sutherland took six points off that lead with the scoreboard reading 30 to 20 in favour of the Jets.

With 20 minutes remaining the two Narromine players were sent on a one-way journey from the field and with the home side having 13 players on the paddock and the visitors only ten it seemed only a matter of time before the Swans would get on top.

Not long after the departure of the two Jets, Dunedoo’s winger Jack Guan went over in the corner and another great kick from out wide saw the Swans trail by just four points.

With 12 minutes remaining the Jets were reduced to nine players after yet another sin binning and when Dunedoo’s hooker Ta Dermott went over under the sticks from dummy half the Swans had finally gained the lead 32 to 30.

Action shot from the League Tag game between Dunedoo and Narromine. [IMAGE: Peter Sherwood Photography & Framing]

Rather incredibly the Jets were able to keep their line in tact for the rest of the game and even more incredibly they were to complete the scoring for the afternoon when, in the final minute of the game their winger, Charlie Isedale went on a diagonal run from the centre of the field 40 metres out to score in the corner and the Jets had recorded the most improbable of victories.

Whilst Narromine could be justifiably proud of the win, they would have to be concerned about the lack of discipline shown throughout the match and they will face a nervous week awaiting the judiciary outcomes as they prepare for the big match against the Coolah Kangaroos this Saturday.

Other games in Round 10

The ‘Roos accounted for Cobar 38 to 20 at Cobar to continue their unbeaten run, whilst Gulgong held on to fourth position on the ladder with a 26 to 10 win over Baradine at Baradine and the second placed Coonabarabran finished over the top of Warren, taking the game 40 to 16 after the Bulldogs had led 16 to 14 at half time.

The match of the round will see Narromine and Coolah clash at Narromine, with the chance of a Jet’s victory very much dependent upon how their players go with the judiciary.

The league tag game at Narromine will be a Jessica Skinner Challenge cup match with the unbeaten Coolah Flyers looking to secure the Cup from the third placed Jets.

Gulgong and Coonabarabran will clash at Gulgong’s Billy Dunn Oval, with a victory for the home side being important in the context of their fight to secure a top five finish with just four rounds to be played.

In other games the Swans will be at home again when they entertain the Coonamble Bears and the Warren Bulldogs will be heading west to try and topple the Cobar Roosters at Cobar.

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Round 10 scores

League Tag

•  Dunedoo 36 (Matilda Harper 2, Shelley Cox 2, Hayley Berg, Alexi Gallagher tries, Geogria Price 6 goals) defeated Narromine 4 (Chloe McLean try).

•  Warren 20 (Mab Fuller 4 tries, Katina Dracy, Amber Gordon goals) defeated Coonabarabran 6 (Anthea Karavas try, Rachael Barron goal).

•  Coonamble 26 (Mickayla McEwen 2, Temia Robinson 2, Sharna Forgione tries, Sam Turnbull 3 goals) defeated Gilgandra 18 (Kiara Brown, Skye Doherty, Kiara Reid, Trista Raines tries, Brown goal).

•  Baradine 34 (Suzie Carey 3, Holly Woodham 2, Jorja Carey, Paula Evans tries, Adda Craig 3 goals) defeated Gulgong 8 (Millie Harper, Imogen Hollow tries).

•  Coolah 50 (Mackenzie Blackadder 5, Molly Burgess 3, Tori Mogg tries, Mogg 7 goals) defeated Cobar 14 (Taylah Good, Kayal Hasson-Williams tries, Brianna Watson goal).

Competition table

• Coolah 30,
• Dunedoo 26,
• Narromine 26,
• Baradine 24,
• Warren 20,
• Cobar 18,
• Coonamble 18,
• Gulgong 14,
• Coonabarabran 14,
• Gilgandra 10.

Reserve Grade

•  Narromine 26 (Jardeil Landsborough, Brad Charlton, Jamari Clarke, Mick Clarke, Budd Cape tries, Jamari Clarke 2, PJ Fisher goals) defeated Mendooran 6 (Will Duce try, Stephen Eyles goal).

•  Warren 16 (Kaide Rapley, Tom Wilson, Brody Chapman tries, Akex Sutherland, Chapman goals) defeated Coonabarabran 12 (Sonny Bill Walker, Les Cain tires, Sonny Bill Walker, Wallace Walker goals).

•  Coonamble 28 (Kevin Thurston 2, Jake Fernando, Eral Greenaway, Hamish Astill tries, Fernando 4 goals) defeated Binnaway 24 (Hayde Mitchell 2, Travis Elwell, Mick Daley, Liam Doyle tries, Travis Tighe 2 goals).

• Baradine 36 (Travis Houghton 2, Liam Blackall, Harry Allen, Sam Canty, Mark Martin, Barnon Worrell tries, Houghton 3, Rueben Ruttley, Canty goals) defeated Gulgong 10 (Tim Altmann, Koby Thurston tries, Thurston goal).

• Cobar 60 defeated Coolah 0.

Competition ladder

• Baradine 6,
• Narromine 6,
• Coonabarabran 6,
• Gulgong 4,
• Coonamble 4,
• Warren 4,
• Mendooran 4,
• Cobar 4,
• Binnaway 2,
• Coolah 1.

First Grade

• Narromine Jets 34 (Washie Itoya 3, Charlie Isedale, Ryan Richardson, Corey Cox tries, Cox 5 goals) defeated Dunedoo Swans 32 (Kyzah Louie, Rory Madden, Ta Dermott. Mana Dermott, Jack Guan, Carter Swan tries, Ty Sutherland 4 goals).

• Coonabarabran Unicorns 40 (Anthony Harris 2, Dyllon Tighe, Eddie Kuras, Sonny Bill Walker, Brad Fuller, Sam Pickette, Quade Milgate tries, Jarvis Watton 4 goals) defeated Warren Bulldogs 16 (Braith Boyd, Liam Brien, Elias Kennedy tries, Thomas Potter 2 goals).

•  Gulgong Bull Terriers 26 (Toby O’Leary 2, Nason Hammond 2, Caiden Horton, Cooper Furney, Horton goal) defeated Baradine Magpies10 (Tom Purdy, Brandon Worrell tries, Luke Hamilton goal).

• Coolah Kangaroos 38 (Braydon Burgess 2, Chanse Burgess 2, Sam Wesley 2, Jacob Medd, Tyler Lennox tries, Braydon Burgess 2, Hugh Wesley goals) defeated Cobar Roosters 20 (Thomas Plater 2, Ryan Urquhart, Tim Hillam tries, Plater 2 goals).

• Coonamble Bears bye.

Competition Ladder

•  Coolah 30,
• Coonabarabran 26,
• Narromine 25,
• Gulgong 24,
• Cobar 20,
• Coonamble 20,
• Dunedoo 18,
• Warren 15,
• Baradine 11.