The Temora Dragons continued their dominance over the Albury Thunder with their strong 64-10 win at Nixon Park on Saturday. The win sees the Dragons hang on to the lead in the minor premiership chase which will be decided next Saturday when they will play the Gundagai Tigers in what will possibly be a prelude to the grand final. Despite running in twelve tries to the Thunder’s two in their convincing win, it came at a cost with an early injury to five-eighth Lachie Cole, who was hit hard in a late tackle while scoring in the fifth minute of the game, forcing him from the field minutes later. His injury brought about changes in the backline with Will McDermott replacing Cole and Nic Bett coming into the centres. While Temora and Gundagai are safe in the top five, results in the other games over the weekend — Junee’s 18-4 win over the Tumut Blues assuring them of finishing in third place where they will play either the Dragons or Tigers in the qualifying semi-final. While the Young Cherrypickers, who were thrashed by Gundagai 56-10 at Alfred Oval on Sunday, face an elimination semi-final against either Wagga Kangaroos, Cootamundra or South City, who all sit in fifth place but are separated by percentage only, with the Kangaroos to play Kangaroos and South City and Cootamundra to meet in the last round. Temora will need to win at Anzac Oval on Saturday and that would see them have a week off, but should the Tigers win Temora would host the Junee Diesels at Nixon Park on Sunday, 30 August. Following the weekend’s round of games three of the Dragons continue to add to the points scored, with Hamish Starr the competition’s leading try scorer with 18 tries, followed by Lachie Cole on 13, while halfback Jake McGovern has six tries and 76 goals for a personal tally of 176. While the Dragons had good players across the park, two players were outstanding, hooker Bailey Wallace and P.N.G. centre Brandon Nima, who scored two tries and had a hand in three others. It took only two minutes for the home side to get on the scoreboard with centre McDermott racing 40 metres to score an easy try but no conversion, the Dragons led 4-0. Only minutes later Lachie Cole backed up Nima after a break from halfway but was injured in scoring, but the referee failed to take action for the late tackle. McGovern had success to add the extras with Temora’s lead going to 10-0. Temora’s next try came after only 10 minutes with hooker Bailey Wallace scoring from dummy half and with McGovern on line Temora’s lead put them well ahead of the clock at 16-0. Replacement centre Nic Bett was next to score after the ball was moved quickly with the try scored in the corner and with the conversion attempt waved away, after only 14 minutes it was Temora 20 Albury 0. The Thunder tightened their defence and Temora’s next points came in the 27th minute with fullback Hamish Starr scoring in the corner but again McGovern failed to add the extras with Temora 24 Albury 0. With 10 minutes remaining to the break halfback Jake McGovern was next to score after a 30-metre run and with his conversion the scoreboard read 30-0 in the Dragons’ favour. Only minutes later it was second rower Brodie Mirtschin backing up a break by McDermott to score and with the extras Temora went into the halftime break with a 36-0 lead. It only took the Dragons two minutes to score after the restart with, after a Hamish Starr break, then a kick saw Nima touch down and McGovern successfully converting. Temora had extended their lead to 40-0. Albury hit back and was held up, and with a good supply of the ball they were next to score at the 12th minute after Temora lost the ball deep in the Thunder’s half, only to see Thunder fullback Nate Brockman racing 90 metres to score and with no conversion it was Temora 40-Albury 4. Halfway through the half a Nima break led to Drew Robinson scoring from 20 metres out, giving McGovern an easy conversion and extending the Dragons to a 46-4 lead. Temora’s next points came following another McDermott break, who sent Mirtschin over in the 28th minute and with the extras Temora had reached the half century with the score 52-4. Two minutes later a 70-metre break by Nima saw Temora go further ahead at 58-4 with McGovern’s conversion. With only five minutes on the clock second rower Billy Reardon backed up a Jimmy Stewart break to race over and with McGovern adding the two extras Temora had finished their scoring at 64-4. However, it was the visitors who scored the final points with the siren about to sound. They kicked for the corner where Brockman was able to score his second try and with the conversion from wide out the final scores were Temora 64 Albury 10. Points in the game came from: Temora 64. Tries: B. Nima 2, B. Mirtschin 2, N. Bett, W. McDermott, D. Robinson, L. Cole, J. McGovern, B. Wallace, B. Reardon, H. Starr. Goals: J. McGovern 8/13. Albury 10. Tries: N. Brockman 2. Goal: N. Brockman. Penalties: Temora 6, Thunder 3. In earlier games at Nixon Park Temora won two of the three games. In Reserve Grade the Dragons defeated the previously undefeated competition leaders, the Thunder, in an entertaining game 18-10, while in the Weissel Cup game the Dragons played what must have been their best game to date before going down 20-12 to Albury. The League Tag game was another tight game before the Dragons defeated the fifth-placed Albury 14-4. Next weekend’s Round 16 matches: Saturday: Young v Kangaroos; Gundagai v Temora; Brothers v Junee. Sunday: Albury v Tumut; South City v Cootamundra. MINOR GRADE RESULTS Reserve Grade Temora 18 Tries: T. Moroney, C. Lynch, C. Bett, C. Slinger. Goals: J. McKinnon. Albury 10 Tries: B. Young, N. Stead. Goal: R. Sargeant. Weissel Cup Albury 20 Tries: A. Nicholson, A. Cameron-Pani, J. Bowers, A. Young. Goals: A. Young 2. Temora 12 Tries: Z. Botha, M. Knox, B. Purcell. League Tag Temora 14 Tries: S. Bowley, R. Wilesmith 2. Goals: E. Perrot. Albury 4 Try: K. Adhikari. GROUP NINE PREMIERSHIP LADDERS First Grade Team Points Temora 24 Gundagai 24 Junee 20 Young 17 Kangaroos 14 Cootamundra 14 South City 14 Albury 10 Tumut 8 Brothers 5 Reserve Grade Team Points Albury 28 Temora 24 South City 22 Kangaroos 21 Gundagai 14 Young 10 Junee 9 Brothers 8 Tumut 7 Cootamundra 6 Weissel Cup Team Points South City 26 Brothers 26 Young 23 Kangaroos 21 Tumut 16 Gundagai 14 Albury 12 Cootamundra 5 Temora 4 Junee 3 Women’s Tackle Team Points Brothers 30 Junee 26 South City 24 Young 20 Tumut 15 Temora 15 League Tag Team Points Brothers 26 Temora 26 Cootamundra 23 Tumut 23 Albury 16 Junee 16 Young 8 Gundagai 6 Kangaroos 6 South City 0
