Last Sunday’s clash with the Moree Boars at Boughton Oval was dismal for the Gunnedah Bulldogs first graders as their 30-4 loss was by far their worst result of the Group 4 rugby league season to date.
The home side scored six tries to one, with winger Jake Tighe bagging a hat-trick and centre Kaedyn Smith notching a double.
The Bulldogs sank to fifth place on the eight-team table for the first time this year, while last Sunday’s contest was far removed from the May 4 showdown on Gunnedah soil when the Bulldogs defeated the Boars 28-14.
While last Sunday produced Gunnedah’s third defeat of the season, it was much different from the first two as the Bulldogs lost both of those by four points after squandering a 20-0 lead and a 12-0 lead.
Equal-second teams North Tamworth and Boggabri moved to 13 points after last weekend’s round, and Moree moved to 12 while Gunnedah remained on 11.
Gunnedah received a boost for the contest at Moree, as Callum Hayne was available after being sent off for a dangerous tackle in the previous Sunday’s 64-18 win over the Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters.
Lincon Smith meanwhile returned last Sunday after missing the game against the Roosters.
The Bulldogs and Boars were playing for the Bernie Briggs Memorial Shield, named after one of Moree’s greatest athletes and most admired citizens.
Moree led 4-0 following a try to Alex Barker, and the score remained unchanged for nearly 20 minutes before a converted try each to Smith and Tighe helped the Boars to a 16-0 half-time lead.
Three tries in eight minutes took the Boars to a 30-0 lead with 24 minutes remaining, before Mckye Tucknott scored Gunnedah’s sole try with a little under 15 minutes left.
Factors which Gunnedah coach Sean Hayne identified included Moree controlling the speed of the ruck, and scoring several tries from kicks.
Hayne said his team was in the contest for the first 20 minutes, but didn’t control the ruck while another aspect during the game was “simple missed tackles”.
“We had the numbers there, (but) just didn’t make contact and didn’t finish the tackle off,” he said.
“Everyone knows where we have to improve.
“It’s just a matter of everyone being on the same page and doing it when it matters.”
Hayne said his team had “a hard game” at home against the undefeated Werris Creek this Saturday.
“That’ll be another test for us,” he said.
“Our plan is we don’t get beat at home, so hopefully the guys buy into that.”
Gunnedah and Werris Creek had a 20-all draw when they previously met, on May 9.
Meanwhile, Gunnedah’s reserve graders scored two tries and conceded six in a 34-12 loss at Moree, and remained in fifth place while Moree stayed on top of the ladder.
Gunnedah’s U18s were the only Bulldogs to have a happy trek to Moree as they nabbed six tries in a 32-0 victory.
The opening 20 minutes were scoreless before the young Bulldogs piled on three tries in 10 minutes.
The Bulldogs crept into the top-four in the six-team U18 competition while being ahead of Moree on for-and-against, as these two teams found themselves level on points.
All three of Gunnedah’s men’s teams will oppose Werris Creek at Kitchener Park this Saturday.
