Move over, Gilgandra… there’s a new Christie and Hood Castlereagh league top dog.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Gulgong Terriers are fresh off a 28-18 win at Gilgandra in round 17, a result that saw the men in blue lock up the 2018 minor premiership for the first time since the competition’s existence.
The victory was Gulgong’s second over the Panthers this season as Mark Gorries’ men cemented themselves as genuine title favourites after putting together a win-loss record of 13-1.
Now, the first-placed side will circle September 1 and prepare to go three for three against the the Panther in the major semi final at Gulgong with the winner to receive two weeks off and a home grand final on September 15.
Gulgong skipper and league top point scorer Brad James first played for the Terriers back in 2009 and says hosting a grand final is something you dream about before the seasons starts.
“Every team writes down a list of goals at the start of the year and at the top of that list is winning the comp and just below that is having the grand final at your home ground,” James said.
“The whole town gets behind it like they did in 2015. That was an awesome day, the crowd was massive and that’s what you want.”
Engineering a premiership-winning side isn’t an overnight job and James attributes his squad’s calibur to mateship and a heightened level of endurance.
“Our camaraderie has been great this year and so has our fitness,” James said.
“Those two things have really paved the way for us to go forward this year. We’ve got a good bunch of blokes, we all get along and all get into training and put our heads together.
“Everyone wants to be there.”
With this being the Terriers’ first Castlereagh minor premiership, James understands his side will be the out and out favourite heading into the finals series but won’t be letting that tag distract his men from the job at hand.
“We don’t think about that at all,” James said.
“Obviously we finished on top and we’re minor premiers and everyone who finishes minor premiers is obviously the favourite but we don’t look at it too much.
“We stay level-headed and take it week by week and game by game.”
No side ever remains exactly the same year after year, and a few key additions have helped the Terriers turn in a massive season.
Ben Thompson and Jarvis Watton highlight the list of off-season recruits as both men have played massive roles in the team’s success so far, but James credits a large amount of the positive results to first-year coach Mark Gorrie.
“Mark is really big on camaraderie and getting everyone together and he’s also massive on the fitness side of things,” James said.
“He’s really put us in the right direction and everything’s going well under him.
“Our forwards have rolled their sleeves up, we’re strong around the ruck and when we get near the try line, our backs do the work.
“Jarvis Watton from Coonabarabran has been a huge addition. He’s a very good footballer.
“It’s just the usual suspects, though. The blokes who have been doing it the last couple of years have done their job again this year.”
Gulgong will enjoy a bye in round 18 before playing the Gilgandra Panthers at Billy Dunn Oval in the major semi final on September 1 to determine who hosts the 2018 Christie and Hood Castlereagh league grand final.