With three rounds to be played, it is still mathematically possible for both the Narromine Jets and the Coolah Kangaroos to claim 2026 Castlereagh League minor premiership honours, their chances are rather remote.

In all probability, that honour will be fought out between the Cobar Roosters and the Coonabarabran Unicorns with both teams currently sitting on equal first on 31 competition points. The Roosters are ahead on points differential, theirs being +342 against the Unicorns’ +284.

Coolah and Narromine, each with 26 competition points, could potentially usurp both the Roosters and Unicorns for the number one position, but they would need to win all their remaining games and hope that other results go their way.

The Unicorns have a tough run to the semis, lining up against the other three teams that are still in the race for the minor premiership: Narromine (home), Cobar (away) and finishing with the Coolah Kangaroos in a game that will be played at Glen Willow Stadium in Mudgee as the curtain-raiser to the NRL match between Canberra and Penrith on Saturday, August 1.

The Roosters will be at home to Gilgandra this weekend before heading to Coonabarabran in round 13 and finishing with another road trip in the final round to play the Narromine Jets at Narromine.

The Coolah ‘Roos continued their recent resurgent form, and they blitzed the Narromine Jets with a nine-try effort to record a 50 to 16 win at Coolah while the Cobar Roosters registered a 40 to 16 win over the Bulldogs at Warren.

The Unicorns proved to be way top strong for the visiting Gulgong Terriers, taking the game 66 to 16. In a high scoring game at Coonamble, the Dunedoo Swans just held off the off the Bears to register what was, in the context of their semi-final aspirations, a vital victory, the score being 40 points to 34.

The match of the round this Saturday will be played at Coonabarabran when they host the Narromine Jets, a side that desperately needs to make a statement against a team located above them on the competition ladder heading towards the pointy end of the season.

The League Tag top five is far from decided, and whilst the Dunedoo Swannettes and the Coolah Flyers are locked in for a top two finish there are a number of other teams still vying for a semi-final berth with the games at Cobar (versus Gilgandra), Gulgong (versus Dunedoo) and Coonabarabran (versus Narromine) all having implications as to who will finish where on the competition ladder.

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Competition Ladders

League Tag: Dunedoo 33, Coolah 31, Cobar 25, Gilgandra 24, Narromine 23, Gulgong 23, Coonabarabran 19, Baradine 17, Coonamble 13, Warren 12.

First Grade: Cobar 31, Coonabarabran 31, Coolah 26, Narromine 26, Dunedoo 25, Gulgong 21, Gilgandra 19, Coonamble 17, Warren 12.

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Round 12 Saturday, July 18

Cobar V Gilgandra; Warren V Coolah; Baradine V Coonamble; Gulgong V Dunedoo; Coonabarabran V Narromine.

Check local media and club socials to confirm game times.