03 Jun 2025
Our open boys rugby league team managed to beat Yanco Ag to take out the second round of University Shield last Friday.
The match was played off the back of Griffith’s victory in the Fifita Cup earlier this year. From the moment the boys arrived at the Agricultural College it was plain to see that Yanco weren’t playing around. The whole school was out on the oval watching and Yanco’s famous drumline were blasting.
Despite the spectacle, our boys kept their heads about them and got off to a strong start. Even a run of injuries (starting with a try saving tackle that sent Meli Ranitu and Ben Williment to the blood bin and another injury from James Snow) couldn’t deter them.
After reorganising the backline, the team were once again good to go. Kieran Casey was the first try scorer of the match. After Kieran converted his own try, a fumble in the backline gave Yanco the opportunity to run 80 meters to score. Riley Curran and Jezaiah Charles landed two more tries before Yanco managed to get their second try a minute before the half time buzzer. The score was 16 – 12 going into the break.
In the second half, Griffith were able to dominate the field with two more tries from Brezn Harrison. A final try in the last minutes of the match from Jezaiah Charles put the game beyond doubt at 28 – 12.
“The boys experienced quite a few things that didn’t go their way on the day,” explains coach Duncan Lovelock, “It was their ability to adapt, show what they’re made of and play with heart that helped them win in the end.”
They will now move onto the next round of University Shield against Mt Austin and Tumut on 20 June in Wagga Wagga. The top two teams will then move onto the state rounds.
Photos by Aaron Dawson
