The opening game of the Christie and Hood Castlereagh League minor semifinal played over the weekend set the tone for what was about to unfold in the remaining five games played out in front of large and appreciative audiences.

That minor semifinal reserve grade game played at Coonabarabran on Saturday between the Binnaway Bombshells and the Coonamble Bears propelled into extra time after the Bears scored a try with just nine seconds remaining on the clock in regulation time to lock the scores up.

In what was a helter-skelter finish, the Bombies prevailed, but only just, the final score being 28 to 26!

The league tag followed with the Baradine Magpies shooting out to a 10-nil lead over the Narromine Jets before the red and whites clawed their way back into the game to lead 14 to 10 at half time then adding another converted try in a tense second half to come away with a 20 to 10 victory to stay alive in the 2025 season.

Playing on their home turf the Coonabarabran Unicorns first grade side were sitting pretty at half time with an 18 to 6 lead over the Gulgong Bull Terriers and then things looked decidedly rosier for them when they scored a converted try under the posts within the first five seconds of the second half after Gulgong coughed up the ball from the kick.

That 24 to 6 lead was stretched out to 30 to 6 some seven minutes later and at that point the home side looked to be coasting to an easy victory.

That most certainly was not to be the case with the Terriers incredibly going up a gear and racing in for three converted tries in eight minutes with the scoreboard reading 30 to 24.

Both sides went at it and it wasn’t until the Unicorn’s captain coach Nick Willoughby very skilfully threaded a grubber through the Gulgong defence from close range, with the ensuing race for the ball being won by his centre Brad Fuller, that the blue and golds looked as if they might win what had become a gripping encounter.

Whilst the Bull Terriers gave it their all in the remaining minutes and scored the last points in the match, the clock was against them and they went down 36 to 30.

The major semis followed the next day at Coolah with the Baradine Magpies reserve grade side booking themselves a grand berth with a 20 to 12 win over the minor premiers, the Narromine Jets.

The previously undefeated Coolah Flyers league tag premiership hopes took a severe battering when the Dunedoo Swannettes fired up in the second half after the scores were locked at 10 all at halftime to come away with a rather sizeable 34 to 14 win, which featured some scintillating tries.

Whilst the thought of both the minor premiers losing their games in reserve grade and league tag might not have been on the minds of the Coolah Kangaroos first grade side when they took the field against the Narromine Jets.

It certainly looked that way when they were staring at a 12-nil scoreline against them after the Jets scored three unconverted tries in an amazing opening nine minutes.

The game was turned on its head midway through the first half though when the Jets lost two players, one to the bin, and another sent off!

The absence of these players did the Coolah cause no harm and by half-time they were well back in the game after scoring two unconverted tries.

It didn’t take long for the ‘Roos to get ahead on the scoreboard after the resumption of play, and with 27 minutes remaining, they held an 18 to 12 lead.

The Jets got back to within two points mid-way through the second half but that was to be the last time that they were to call the scoreboard attendant into action.

The Kanga’s however, were able to finish with two converted tries to make it a 30 to 16 scoreline to secure a home grand final!

The Jets will now host the preliminary finals at Narromine this Saturday with all three grades taking part.

Their reserve grade will kick off the day playing the Binnaway Bombshells, whilst their league tag side will be up against the Coolah Flyers.

In first grade, it will be a qualifying final rematch between the Jets and the Coonabarabran Unicorns!

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Semi-final scores:

Minor Semi-Finals:

The Coonabarabran Unicorns held off a resurgent Bull Terriers outfit on Saturday to secure a preliminary final spot next week [PHOTO: Sal Deshon via Coonabarabran Unicorns Rugby League] 

Reserve Grade: Binnaway Bombshells 28 (Nathan Ryan 2, Ahley Widders, Jade Hooper, Dane Anastasis tries, Travis Tighe 4 goals) defeated Coonamble Bears 26 (Malakai Haley 2, Brendan Draper, Kevin Thurston-Welsh, Hamish Astill tries, Mark Jones 3 goals) in extra time.

League Tag: Narromine Jets 20 (Shian Chatfield 2, Abbie Mitchell, Hannah Towns tries, Chatfield 2 goals) defeated Baradine Magpies 10 (Suzie Carey 2 tries, Maria Nagy goal).

First Grade: Coonabarabran Unicorns 36 (Sonny Bill Walker 2, Jarvis Watton, Brad Fuller, Sam Pickette, Jordan Baker, Koopa Thompson tries, Nick Willoughby 4 goals) defeated Gulgong Bull Terriers 30 (Mason Hammond 2, Brad James, Toby O’Leary, Tom Reddish tries, James 5 goals).

Major Semi-Finals:

The Dunedoo Swannettes pulled off the upset of the year, taking down the undefeated Coolah Flyers 34 to 14. [PHOTO: Peter Sherwood]

Reserve Grade: Baradine Magpies 20 (Luke Hamilton, Harry Allen, Travis Houghton, Liam Blackall tries, Jai Caine 2 goals) defeated Narromine Jets 12 (Cooper Anning, Rory Miller-Coen tries, Liam Wherritt 2 goals).

League Tag: Dunedoo Swannettes 34 (Meg Christensen 2, Chelsea Gallagher 2, Shelly Cox, Hayley Berg tries, Gallagher 5 goals) defeated Coolah Flyers 14 (Lisa Jones, Molly Burgess tries, Tori Mogg goal).

First Grade: Coolah Kangaroos 30 (Jayden Brown 2, Jacob Medd, Braydon Burgess, Chanse Burgess, Austin Burgess tries, Dan Lane 3 goals) defeated Narromine Jets 16 (Darby Gordon 2, Apeli Draunidalo 2 tries).

Next Saturday at Cale Oval, Narromine, preliminary finals with an 11.30 am kick off for reserve grade and other grades to follow straight on.

Reserve Grade: Narromine Jets V Binnaway Bombshells.

League Tag: Coolah Flyers V Narromine Jets.

First Grade: Narromine Jets V Coonabarabran Unicorns.

The Christie and Hood Castlereagh League grand finals will be held at Bowen Oval, Coolah, on Saturday, 30th August, with the first game kicking off at 11.00 am.