By BRYSON LUFF

The very sizeable crowd that packed out Narromine’s Cale Oval on Sunday for the Youth League Grand Final were treated to an absolute thrilling encounter between the Narromine Jets and the Binnaway Bombshells with the final result not decided until the last minute of the match.

Going into the match the Binnaway Bombshells were at very long odds to get a positive outcome from the game, but their performance on the day certainly was not in tune with that pre-game sentiment.

The opening exchanges saw the Bombshells dominate the game territorially but could not breach a determined Jets defence and as does often happen it was a breakout try to the Jets that opened the scoring in the 13^th minute, with their winger Dane Burns going over out wide to score what was a converted try to make it 6 to nil.

The game then returned to the pre try scenario, with the Bombshells dominating field position and eventually they breached the Narromine defence with a converted try in the final minute of the half to lack it up at 6 all at the break.

Binnaway second rower Sonny-Bill Walker scored his second try for the Bombshells two minutes in to the second half and with the conversion successful the visitors lead 12 to 6.

The Jets replied soon after when their half back Jamari Clarke stepped through the defence from close range to tie it all up and then just a few minutes later they went to the lead after centre Zac Hignett sliced through out wide to make it 18 to 12.

With the two teams hammering each other a third try to Walker locked it up again at 18 all and then with just seven minutes remaining it appeared that perhaps a Bombshells victory was on the cards when their five-eight Blake Kuras crossed to have the Bombshells in front 22 to 18.

The remaining minutes certainly had the crowd on their feet and as sweet as it was for the Jets supporters it was equally sour for the Bombshell faithful when Clarke speared over for his second try in the final minute of the match to lock it up at 22 all and then Harry McPherson slotted the goal from in front to secure Narromine a memorable 24 to 22 premiership victory!

Whilst Narromine won the premiership Binnaway most certainly also covered themselves in glory after a gallant display that did their club very proud.

The previous day round seven was played in the Castlereagh League which saw Cobar down Binnaway 42 to 18, Dunedoo defeat Coonamble 42 to 24 and at Narromine the same score was recorded when the Jets scored a victory over the Coonabarabran Unicorns.

The remaining game was a thriller played out at Baradine between the Magpies and the Gilgandra Panthers.

With ten minutes to go the visitors were in front 22 to 10 but as per usual the Magpies never say die attitude came to the fore and they scored two tries, one converted, to lock it up at 22 all with five minutes remaining.

It was to be a Panther field goal in the final minute that saw them claim the highly valuable competition points with a 23 to 22 win.

Turning to Round 8 there are a couple of standout games, the first being between the Dunedoo Swans who will be celebrating their 100 year anniversary and the unbeaten Gulgong Terriers at Dunedoo.

This will be a real test for the Terriers in front of what will undoubtedly be a very big and unwelcoming Swans home crowd.

The other big clash of the round will be played at Gilgandra when the Panthers host the Cobar Roosters in what will be a rematch of the epic grand final played between these two clubs on the same ground last year.

Christie and Hood Castlereagh Rugby League Round 7 scores.

Youth League Grand Final

• Narromine 24 (Jamari Clarke 2, Darby Gordon, Dane Burns tries, Harry McPherson 4 goals) defeated Binnaway 22 (Sonny-Bill Walker 3, Blake Kuras tries Walker 2, Sam Pickette goals) played at Cale Oval, Narromine, Sunday 25^th June.
• Best Performed; Jamari Clarke (Narromine half back), Sonny-Bill Walker (Binnaway second row).
• Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Youth League Player of the Year, Charlie Bonham (Narromine).

League Tag

• Cobar 26 (Brianna Watson 2, Zoe Egan, Sarah Morley, Kayla Hassan tries, Egan goal) defeated Binnaway 4 (Jessee Newton try).
• Dunedoo 14 (Meg Christensen, Maddie Cox, Alexis Gallagher tries, Hallie Hogden goal) defeated Coonamble 12 (Tori Canham, Shakaye Walker tries, Canham 2 goals)
• Baradine 18 (Stephanie Bowling 2, Hayley Lomax tries, Holly Arndell 3 goals) defeated Gilgandra 12 (Rachel Drury, Rani Diggs, Laura Jordan tries, Annie Hoy goal).
• Competition table.
• Dunedoo 24 (Played 8, Won 8, Lost 0), Narromine 19 (P7, W6, L1), Coonamble 18 (P8, W5, L3), Baradine 17 (P9, W4, L5), Cobar 15 (P7, W4, L3), Gulgong 12 (P6, W3, L3), Binnaway 10 (P8, W1, L7), Gilgandra 8 (P8, W0, L8).

First Grade

• Narromine 42 (Freddy Joji 3, Washie Itoya 2, Will Olney, Jacob Sutherland, Tyler Beer tries, Doug Potter 5 goals) defeated Coonabarabran 24 (Andrew Harris, Karl Calleija, Nick Willoughby, Anthony Harris, Thomas Varty tries, Willoughby 2 goals)
• Cobar 42 (Lachlan Ford 2, Tim Hillam 2, Benjamin Griffiths, Tadgh McMullen, Tyler Loughlan, Nathan McAndrew tries, Thomas Plater 5 goals) defeated Binnaway 18 (Donald Kuras, Travis Elwell, Elvey McEwen, Logan Meyers tries, Brad Fuller goal).
• Dunedoo 42 (Tyson Searle 2, Viliam Tianura, Brian Bradshaw, Ben Gallagher, Sam Christensen, Tom Yeo tries, Dan Lane 7 goals) defeated Coonamble 24 (Jake Fernando, Mitch Nalder, Lewis Overall, Jermaine Thurston tries, Nalder 4 goals)
• Gilgandra 23 (DJ Smith, Hayden Smith, Ken Johnson, Isaiah Gleadhill tries, DJ Smith 3 goals and field goal) defeated Baradine 22 (Thomas Martin, Billy Carey, Logan Dewson, Cameron Worrell tries, Jesse McElhinney 3 goals)

Competition ladder

Gulgong 21, Cobar 19, Narromine 17, Dunedoo 17, Gilgandra 15, Baradine 11, Coonabarabran 11, Coonamble 11, Binnaway 11.

Round 8 Saturday July 1

Dunedoo V Gulgong, Gilgandra V Cobar, Coonabarabran V Coonamble, Binnaway V Narromine, Baradine bye.