While it is still only very early in the season, both the Group 9 and Group 20 first grade competitions will showcase top-of-the-table clashes between unbeaten teams on Sunday.
After four rounds of the Group 9 competition, the unbeaten pair of the Young Cherrypickers and Gundagai Tigers do battle at Alfred Oval in Round Five on Sunday.
The Cherrypickers – led by Nick Cornish – have simply blown teams out of the water in 2022. They defeated 2021 Minor Premiers Tumut 32-20 on Sunday after leading 26-nil early in the second half.
While impressed with the first 40 minutes, Cornish has since come out and stated he wasn’t happy that his side allowed Tumut to make their way back into the game, with the undermanned Blues getting as close as 26-20 before Young secured the win.
This will be the Tricolours biggest test so far in 2022, with the Luke Berkrey-led Tigers shaping as the real deal once again.
The reigning premiers enter the contest fresh off a bye and have actually enjoyed two weeks off in the first four rounds.
The Tigers have been in terrific form when they have been on the paddock, doing away with Brothers in Round One and Tumut in Round Three, and they will be up to maintain that form against the Cherrypickers in Young.
The Group 20 competition is a round further along than Group 9, and after five rounds of action, only the Hayden Philp-coached Leeton Galloping Greens and Ben Jeffery-led Darlington Point-Coleambally (DPC) Roosters have maintained a perfect start.
That won’t be the case after Round Six though, with the Greens hosting the Roosters in Leeton on Sunday in what should be an enthralling top-of-the-table clash.
The Greens have won four games and have lived up to their preseason hype as competition favourites.
DPC are five from five, and sit top of the table due to a superior for and against, and the Roosters have blown sides out of the water in 2022.
The Roosters been unstoppable in season 2022 and Sunday’s top of the table clash is certainly set up to be a thriller.
Adding interest to a huge weekend of Riverina Rugby League, the Proten Community Cup officially kicks off on Saturday, with Narrandera hosting Round One of the men’s and women’s competitions.
Rankin Springs – who have won the most Proten Cups (5) – are also the men’s defending premiers and they, along with Hillston, shape as the teams to beat in 2022.
Group 9 Round Four results: Young def Tumut 32-20, Temora def Albury 22-4, Brothers def Southcity 40-14.
Group 9 Round Five draw: Young v Gundagai, Tumut v Southcity, Brothers v Temora, Albury and Kangaroos on the bye.
Group 9 ladder: Young 8, Gundagai 8, Temora 8, Brothers 4, Kangaroos 4, Tumut 2, Albury 2, Southcity 2.
Group 20 Round Five results: Yenda def Hay 26-18; Leeton def Griffith Waratahs 40-24; Griffith Black and Whites def Tullibigeal-Lake Cargelligo 58-16; Darlington Point-Coleambally def West Wyalong 52-12.
