It was a great day for Dungog Warriors with both the A Grade men and the Ladies League Tag side recording tight wins over Stroud (May 18, 2019) to leave the women on top of the ladder and the men in second spot.
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For the ladies in particular, the 14-12 win against the previously unbeaten Stroud was full of merit, with the men also in an arm wrestle, winning 30-26.
Anyone who saw the Charity Shield game earlier in the year could have thought it was groundhog day revisited for the men, at least for the first 60 minutes.
Dungog have been guilty of being slow out of the blocks a couple of times this year and the Raiders dictated play early, running in two tries and a conversion inside 15 minutes.
Dungog slowly got back into the game and were looking dangerous but their hands let them down with at least three scoring chances going begging.
Dungog finally scored on the stroke of halftime when Will Rooke went over in the corner for his first try for Dungog. Steven Curnow nailed the conversion to have the Warriors down by 4.
It was the Warriors, not the Raiders, who exploded out of the blocks in the 2nd half with a mountain of possession, scoring four tries in 20 minutes courtesy of Lee Nevin, Luke Rits, Brad Smith and Joseph Hooke also getting his first four pointer in the maroon and gold.
Five-eighth Steven Curnow who turned in a great display of goalkicking, converted all tries to have Dungog well on top 30-10.
If Dungog had all the ball early in the half, the Raiders got the lion's share for the rest of the game.
A converted try 10 minutes from time gave their supporters a bit of joy, which escalated a couple of minutes later when they scored again. Another try near fulltime had a couple of the Stroud Old Boys ready to lace on the boots and get on the field but it was the Warriors who emerged triumphant.
Things may have got a little close but the Warriors were clearly the better side on the day. With the Warriors scratching for a side earlier in the week it was great to see Lee Nevin, Daniel Bates, Jake Clifton and Zach Thackeray turn up and help out.
Dungog 30 W Rooke,L Nevin,L Rits, B Smith, J Hooke tries. S Curnow 5 goals def Stroud 26 5 tries 3 goals.
RSL Best Forward Brad Smith, RSL Best Back Jared O'Neill. Players Player Joesph Hooke.
