Sport
3 August, 2024
Nyngan Tigers report
The Nyngan Tigers travelled to a chilly Wellington on Sunday.
The Nyngan Tigers travelled to a chilly Wellington on Sunday, where the reserve grade boys produced the goods, winning 27-20 in a late-season bid for finals contention. The win was much needed for the side, which has been the shining light of the Tigers' 2024 campaign.
Once again, it was the seasoned duo of Matty Sheather and Mitch Williams-Hedges who kept the Tigers on track for the win. Try scorers for reserve grade were Corey Turk, Keenan Elwood, Kyle Hall, Blake Barker, and Williams-Hedges, and Sheather converted three from five. Sideline eye Trevor Waterhouse nominated Kyle Hall as his best on field for the day.
“The win has meant the reserve grade have kept their finals hopes alive,” Waterhouse said. The Tigers reserve grade currently sit in sixth place on the Western Premiership ladder, just one point behind the Forbes Magpies. This weekend they will face the third-placed Mudgee Dragons at Mudgee, which will be a key game for the Tigers.
First grade was unlucky against a Cowboys outfit that was missing star player Blake Ferguson. Earlier in the season, it was Ferguson who made the difference in a Cowboys victory over the Tigers, and it was hoped that without him, the result could be reversed. In the end, the Tigers lost by a try, 28-22, despite being in front 22-12 with 20 minutes to go.
Wellington achieved the win despite having only 12 players on the field, which showed why the team is known for its pluck, especially on home turf. Key Tiger’s forward Rory Quarmby suffered a head knock in the opening minutes and didn’t return to the field, but Vincent Leuluai was back from injury and made a strong impact to be one of Waterhouse’s best on field. Young hooker Aiden Bermingham was also instrumental in the Tigers' attack, scoring two tries and doing a power of work on field. The other Tigers' try scorers were Sam Simmons and Matty McDougall. McDougall converted three from four.
The under 18s lost 34-12. Darcy Yeomans and Wade Dwyer each scored tries, but 2024 hasn’t been the Year of the Tiger for the juniors. The Tigers League Tag side was defeated 48-0 by a tough Cowgirls outfit. The Nyngan girls were missing key player Ebony Martin, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Dubbo Macquarie last week.
Next weekend, the Tigers will travel to Mudgee to take on the competition-leading Dragons at Glen Willow. Captain coach James Tuitahi said the goal for the next two rounds was to give the competition leaders – Dragons and Dubbo CYMS – a good crack. “It will be a good test for our group with the amount of progress we've made the last few weeks, and it's pretty much building for next season," he said.