Bungendore set sights on elusive premiership

Throughout the 2024 Blumers Lawyers George Tooke Shield (GTS) competition, the Bungendore Tigers proved time and time again that they are the team to beat.

Charging to an 11-1-2 record and the Minor Premiership, the Jack Bramley-led squad entered finals with a point to prove, winning their way into the Grand Final after a 19-4 victory over the Harden Hawks in the major semi-final.

Harden has since bounced back, defeating the Binalong Brahmans 23-16 in Saturday’s preliminary final.

The Tigers will go into Saturday’s big dance at Mick Sherd Oval as the team to beat, and Bramley has asked his players to own the ‘favourite's title’.

“I’ll admit, we went into the year as favourites, but I kind of put it to the boys that we’re the team to beat, so let’s go out and prove it,” Bramley said.

“I wanted the pressure to show the boys that we know what we can do when we need to do it, and we’ve been pretty good.

“Going into Saturday, I want us to soak up the pressure and enjoy it. No one here is getting paid to play, and we’re here because we love it.

“They all turn up Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and that’s all I can ask.”

The Tigers last won a title in 2015, and in recent years, they’ve been thereabouts, going down to the Gordon Highlanders 24-10 in the 2020 decider before a heart-breaking 14-10 loss to Crookwell in the 2022 Grand Final.

In 2023, Bungendore fell one game short of the big dance, and Bramley said a premiership is the one thing motivating his core group of players.

“The town and club want it, and the town deserves a premiership,” Bramley said.

“It’s something not everyone gets a chance to be part of, and for us, it’s our third Grand Final in five years, and we don’t want to waste it.

“There has been a core group since that loss in 2020, probably ten of us, and it’s not so much having a point to prove but more that we’ve been thereabouts and lost two Grand Finals, but it feels different this year.

“We know we have a good opportunity and don’t want to waste it.”

Bramley isn’t expecting a walk in the park on Saturday, with Harden capable of causing a massive upset.

Nick Hall, Bramley’s assistant coach for the GTS representative team, coaches the Hawks.

Hall, an outside-the-box coach, has helped Harden take advantage of their strengths, and Bramley knows that the Hawks have points in them. They proved a dangerous commodity in Round Eight, defeating the Tigers 40-nil.

Bungendore is leading the 2024 ledger two to one, having won 50-nil at Mick Sherd Oval in Round One and 19-4 in their recent major semi-final.

Boasting the likes of Jayden Cutting, Austin Power, and Riley Manwaring, Bramley is wary of Harden.

“They’re a confidence-driven team, and if they get a sniff, they are hard to stop,” Bramley said.

“They towelled us up in Round Two, and given the chance, they can quickly score 20-30 points.

“With those guys, they play a young and confident style of footy and can score points from all over the paddock.

“We need to be able to defend that and be mindful of that.”

When asked how Bungendore would win on Saturday if the result went their way, the Tigers coach said his big pack was the not-so-secret to their success.

Led by inspirational captain Brad Laurent, big men Scott Geronimi and Pat Pryor, backrowers Josh Baker and Luke Colquhoun, along with hard-working bench players Peter Mortimer and Aidan Oakley, Bungendore will send wave after wave of big men into Harden’s line.

“Through the middle will be our focus, and that’s how we’ve done it all year,” Bramley said.

“Our outside backs are scoring a lot of points, but that’s all on the back of our middles coming out of yardage and getting us into a good position.

“This allows Carl (Johnson) and Jesse (Collins) time, and it’s then up to them to make the right calls when we get good ball.

“Plus, I’m happy with that bench rotation because in previous years, when a Pat or a Brad came off, there was a drop.

“This year, those guys coming on are doing a great job, and there’s no noticeable difference.”

It’s set to be a massive day in Bungendore, with two GTS deciders to be played.

The men’s tackle Grand Final between the Tigers and Hawks headlines the day. Kicking off the program is the women’s league tag decider between the Harden Hawkettes and Crookwell She Devils.