As we enter the second half of the Group 9 league tag competition, Temora Dragons, Wagga Brothers, and Wagga Kangaroos are making significant strides in their quest for supremacy.
After nine rounds, the Dragons are on top of the ladder but only due to their superior for-and-against, with Temora, Brothers, and ‘Roos all boasting a record of seven wins and one loss.
The Kangaroos defeated Brothers 10-6 in Round Two, Brothers triumphed over the Dragons 8-nil in Round Three, and the Dragons overpowered the Kangaroos 20-nil in Round Seven.
The same three teams battled it out in 2023, with Kangaroos knocking Brothers out of finals with a 12-0 Major Semi-final win.
In the decider, Temora proved too strong in a thrilling finale defeating Kangaroos 10-8.
As we approach Round 10 of the 2024 season, Brothers have the bye, but the Temora Dragons are preparing to face off against the Junee Diesels at Nixon Park on Saturday.
Junee is a team showing signs of improvement and could disrupt the current standings.
The fourth-placed Diesels gave a visiting Temora side a run for their money back in Round One, going down 20-14, and last time out at Laurie Daley Oval they pushed Kangaroos all the way before losing 16-8.
With four wins, Junee will be desperate for a victory against a top-three side.
The Kangaroos also face a challenging task: an away trip to a very cold Tumut.
It’s never pleasant playing at Twickenham Oval in the middle of winter and with the fifth-placed Blues also winning four games, they’ll be out to cause a big upset against one of the competition favourites.
In other Round 10 games, the sixth-placed Young Cherrypickers will be out to keep tabs with the top-five when visiting the seventh-placed Southcity Bulls at Harris Park on Sunday.
The bottom-of-the-table Gundagai Tigers host the eight-placed Albury Thunder at Anzac Park on Saturday in a match that could decide who wins the wooden spoon.
Click here for the Group 9 league tag ladder, draw, and results.
Blues to host Grand Final rematch
It is a Grand Final rematch in Group 9 first grade action as the Blues host the Wagga Kangaroos at Tumut’s Twickenham Oval on Saturday.
Both teams have endured up-and-down campaigns, with the Kangaroos just inside the top five with four wins, one draw, and three losses.
Reigning premiers, Tumut sit in seventh position and three competition points behind ‘Roos. So in the context of finals, it’s a ‘must-win’ game for both outfits.
Another exciting fixture is between the Gundagai Tigers and Albury Thunder at Anzac Park on Saturday.
The fourth-placed Tigers are stalking the top three, while the sixth-placed Albury Thunder could move into the top five with a win.
It’s a tough ask for the struggling Junee Diesels as the one-win side prepares for a tough trip to Temora’s Nixon Park on Saturday.
The second-placed Dragons are fresh off a thrilling 18-14 win over the ladder-leading Young Cherrypickers, and they’ll take a world of beating at home.
In what could be the game of the round, Southcity treks to Young’s Alfred Oval on Sunday.
The top-of-the-table Cherrypickers will be stinging after their 18-14 loss to Temora in Round Nine, and the Tricolours will be out to make amends against the Bulls.
Southcity, on the other hand, will enter the match on the back of a five-game winning streak, and they could move to equal top of the table with a big win over Young.
Click here for the Group 9 men’s tackle ladder, draw, and results.
