Gunnedah league taggers on the board with huge win over Panthers

The Gunnedah Bulldogs leaguetaggers recorded their first victory of the Group 4 season as they hammered the Wee Waa Panthers 48-0 at Kitchener Park last Sunday.

Wee Waa had 13 players to Gunnedah’s 12 as the hosts missed a few regulars, and not even a lopsided penalty count against the Bulldogs could prevent them producing an onslaught.

For the second successive round, Maddy Finlay took to the field while the injured Jacey Ross took over the coaching role.

Tara Wilkinson-Ryan bagged half of the eight tries while Marlee Urquhart and Jacqueline Jones bagged two each, and Zoe Fleming landed all eight conversion attempts.

It was a far cry from the team’s start to the season, as a forfeit was followed by a 14-0 defeat and an 18-6 defeat.

It took only 68 seconds for Gunnedah to open the scoring last Sunday, as Urquhart touched down.

Urquhart made a break in the next few minutes, but the ensuing pass was spilled before Wilkinson-Ryan was penalised for an indiscretion.

Further indiscretions from the Bulldogs, including dissent, earned the ire of the referee.

Wilkinson-Ryan scored her first try as she chased a chip-kick from Jones, before some time was lost as Claire Jones sustained a knee injury and was assisted from the field.

Wilkinson-Ryan bagged her second try soon after the stoppage, enabling Gunnedah to lead 18-0 at half-time.

A converted try each to Urquhart, Wilkinson-Ryan and Jacqueline Jones took the score to 36-0 in the second half, before Wilkinson-Ryan’s fourth try was followed by Jones’s second.

Finlay said the win should boost the players and give them some confidence, although she acknowledged that discipline was an issue.

“The two games that we’ve lost, they weren’t big scorelines so I’m pretty happy with that considering last year we were getting flogged by these teams,” she said.

“But to be able to get that win today was really good for our team.

“You don’t win a season at the start, so I think it’s good for us to come in with those couple of losses.

“Bit of the underdog I guess.”

Finlay said the attack was coming together, after defence had won games for Gunnedah in previous years.

While a couple of injuries require attention, Finlay said the Bulldogs should be able to field a consistent team in ensuing weeks while she was confident that things were moving in the right direction.

Gunnedah’s next opponent, Boggabri, has yet to win this season.