Bushrangers steal victory in Grand Final rematch

The Tuggeranong Bushrangers claimed a 16-14 victory over the Queanbeyan Kangaroos on Saturday afternoon at Greenway Oval.

In a hard-fought Grand Final rematch, the nail-biting finish brought Queanbeyan’s winning streak to an end.

The match began with a slow and steady start, as both teams struggled to get past each other’s defensive sides.

The first half was a back-and-forth contest riddled with errors from both sides. Kangaroos hooker Lachlan Ingram was the first to make a break, but the try was not awarded due to an unforced error.

Queanbeyan’s Thomas Williams scored the opening try of the day, capitalising on a grubber kick from Ingram. With an unsuccessful conversion, the score came to 4-nil after 17 minutes.

The Bushrangers were quick to bounce back, with Jacob Haeta scooping up a knock on off the Roos, opening the doors for Jayden Pollard to make the break and plant the ball.

Tuggeranong successfully added the extras, securing a two-point lead that they carried through to half time.

The pace picked up in the second half as Kangaroos Jake Kiely and Matthew Wheatley scored back-to-back tries. With one successful conversion the Roos held an eight-point advantage.

The Bushrangers were quick to recover, as Tom Lunney managed to cut through the Kangaroos defensive line and plant the ball. Converted by Liam Oakley, the score was narrowed to 14-12 with seven minutes to go.

With less than a minute remaining, a quick shift to the left saw Bushrangers centre Temple Rupapera clear the way for winger Jayden Pollard to score in the left corner and steal the game. An unsuccessful conversion brought the final score of the day to 16-14.

The Bushrangers will be looking to carry over this winning momentum as they gear up to play the Belconnen United Sharks next weekend. Meanwhile, Queanbeyan will be hoping to bounce back as they face the Yass Magpies.