Going into the final round of the 2025 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League competition, the composition and finishing order of the top five was unknown, with results from three different venues having a bearing on who was in and who was out – and in what order the teams in contention finished.

The Dunedoo Swans were in a three-way battle for position number five on the ladder and having the bye they had to hope that results would go their way.

One of those results did go their way, with the Cobar Roosters dropping out of the race when they were unable to sustain a great second half comeback in their match against the Narromine Jets played at Cobar.

The Jets had established a commanding 20-nil lead by half time, but their prospects of securing victory looked somewhat shaky after the home side came roaring back into the game, scoring 14 unanswered points to trail by just six.

It is history now that the Jets were able to go over for a converted try to extend their lead to 12 points, and whilst the Roosters replied with another try, the first half deficit was too much for them to reel in and they lost the game 26 to 18, the loss ending their season.

Meanwhile, some 400 kilometres to the east, the Coonamble Bears were locked in a do-or-die battle with the Gulgong Bull Terriers at Gulgong, with a win to the Bears their only option if they wanted to stay alive in the 2025 premiership race.

Indeed, they did stay alive, upsetting the home side by converting a 12 to 6 lead at half time into an impressive 32 to 16 win on the road with their superior points differential securing them fifth spot on the ladder ahead of Dunedoo.

They will have to travel that same road again next Sunday for another do-or-die clash with the Bull Terriers in the elimination semi-final.

The top of the table clash between the Coolah Kangaroos and the Coonabarabran Unicorns saw the Roos retain their unbeaten status – and the Boronia Cup – when they outlasted a fast-finishing blue-and-gold outfit to come away with a 30 to 24 win, after leading 30 to 12 at one stage.

The loss by the Unicorns, combined with Narromine’s win over Cobar, means that the Jets leapfrogged them on the table and now those two teams will meet at Narromine next Saturday in the qualifying semifinal.

Fifth position on the ladder in both league tag and reserve grade were also decided by points differential with the Cobar Roosters finishing ahead of the Warren Bulldogs in league tag and Coonabarabran doing likewise against Gulgong in reserve grade.

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Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Round 14 scores

League Tag

Narromine 20 (Shian Chatfield 2, Talitha Chatfield, Jacana Powell tries, Shian Chatfield 2 goals) defeated Cobar 0.

Coolah 62 (Mackenzie Blackadder 3, Molly Burgess 2, Brooklyn Blackadder 2, Jasmine Thompson, Tori Mogg, Breannah Burgess, Channy Burgess, Jaimi White tries, Mogg 5 Brooklyn Blackadder 2 goals) defeated Coonabarabran 0.

Baradine 8 (Suzannah Carey 2 tries) defeated Warren 6 (Lilly Dayes try, Maddie Marks goal).

Dunedoo 60 (Chelsea Gallagher 4, Chloe Brougham 2, Molly Brown, Shelly Cox, Eva Hogden, Jessie Newton, Maigan Meyers tries, Gallagher 7, Cox goals) defeated Gilgandra 0.

Gulgong 28 (Lolley Tumpey 3, Gabby Wiltshire 2 tries, Tumpey 4 goals) defeated Coonamble 8 (Taylee Milgate, Shakaye Walker tries).

Final Competition table: Coolah 42, Dunedoo 38, Narromine 36, Baradine 34, Cobar 26 (-12), Warren 26 (-70), Gulgong 24, Coonamble 22, Coonabarabran 18, Gilgandra 14.

Reserve Grade

Narromine 24 (Rory Miller-Coen 2, Jamari Clarke, Jardeil Landsbrough tries, Liam Wherritt 4 goals) defeated Cobar 6 (Tom Rogers try, Dallas Josephson goal).

Coonabarabran 44 (Sonny Bill Walker 2, Jarvis Watton 2, Cody Howe, Keizer Wood, Nash Walker, Marshal Tighe, Bailey Reedman, tries, Howe 2, Sonny Bill Walker, Watton goals) defeated Coolah 8 (Sam Wesley, Mark Shippe tries).

Coonamble 28 (Tristan Draper, Kobe Leonard, Malekai Haley, Hamish Astill, Jayden Barlow tries, Nathan Walker 2, Leonard, Quinton Kennedy goals) defeated Gulgong 20 (Jack Coupe, Koby Thurston, Rob Brobeck, Brad Toole tries, Caiden Horton 2 goals).

Baradine 30 (Jai Cain 2, Chris Wallace, Travis Houghton, Wade Sutherland, Ethan Thirkell tries, Cain 3 goals) defeated Warren 4 (Kadyn Griffith try).

Binnaway (Nathan Ryan 2, Cody Whitty, Ashley Widders, Kevin Nolan tries, Tom Magann 2, Chris Daley goals) defeated Mendooran 0.

Final Competition ladder: Narromine 18, Baradine 15, Binnaway 14, Coonamble 14, Coonabarabran 12 (+86), Gulgong 12 (+6), Cobar 10, Mendooran 9, Warren 7, Coolah 7.

First grade

Narromine Jets 26 (Epili Dranuadalo 2, Washington Otoya, Kaiden Hill, Corey Cox tries, Cox 3 goals) defeated Cobar Roosters 18 (Kody Ford, Nathan McAndrew, Tim Hillam, David Watson tries, Tadgh McMullen goal) at Cobar.

Coolah Kangaroos 30 (Jayden Brown 2, Dan Lane, Hugh Wesley, Tyler Lennox tries, Lane 5 goals) defeated Coonabarabran Unicorns 24 (Sonny Bill Walker, Quade Milgate, Peter Watton, Jordan Baker tries, Nick Willoughby 4 goals) at Dunedoo.

Warren Bulldogs 56 (Elias Kennedy 3, Lachlan Clarke 2, Tom Potter, Kaleb Sutherland, Patty Potter, Harry Thaux, Kobe Riley, Tom Storer tries, Tom Potter 5 goals) defeated Baradine Magpies 14 (Logan Dewson, Tom Purdy, Riley Arndell tries, Allan Riley goal) at Warren.

Coonamble Bears 32 (Dwayne McEwen 2, Andrew Peacocke, Jack Kelly, Daniel Sangster, Jye Dixon tries, Brenton Glover 4 goals) defeated Gulgong Bull Terriers 16 (Mason Hammond, Jackson Pascoe, Blake Gorrie tries, Brad James 2 goals) at Gulgong.

Dunedoo Swans bye.

Final Competition Ladder: Coolah 42, Narromine 35, Coonabarabran 34, Gulgong 32, Coonamble 28 (+41), Dunedoo 28 (-22), Cobar 26, Warren 23, Baradine 15.

Next weekend

Saturday, August 9, Qualifying semis @ Narromine:

• (Reserve grade to kick off at 11.30am on both days with other games to follow straight on.)

• Reserve grade: Baradine Magpies V Binnaway Bombshells.

• League Tag: Dunedoo Swannettes V Narromine Jets.

• First Grade: Narromine Jets V Coonabarabran Unicorns.

Sunday, August 10, Elimination semis @ Gulgong:

• Reserve Gradel Coonamble Bears V Coonabarabran Unicorns.

• League Tag: Baradine Magpies V Cobar Roosterettes.

• First Grade: Gulgong Bull Terriers V Coonamble Bears

Admission $10 and $5 concession. Under 16 free. EFTPOS will be available at the gate.