As the Gundagai Tigers celebrated their 32-20 victory at Twickenham Oval, a sombre silence fell over the travelling Young faithful. It was a hard-fought game, but in the end, it was a tale of missed opportunities and a lead that, once conceded, was simply too great to overcome.
Cherrypickers’ President Andrew Smith described the loss as a “tale of two halves.” “It certainly wasn’t the result we wanted,” Smith said. “I think the plan going into the game was to start fast and play consistent footy over the 80 minutes, but unfortunately, we just lacked that energy in the first half and the game sort of got a bit away from us.”
The Cherrypickers, led by the spirited Jesse Corcoran, Boro Navori, and Tom Giles, had started the game with fire in their bellies, battling every inch of the field. However, a lapse in concentration, a few costly penalties, and the raw speed of Gundagai’s James (Jimmy) Morgan saw the scoreboard quickly tick over, with Morgan grabbing two tries in the blink of an eye.
“It was 22-0 inside the first 30 minutes. It wasn’t us done, but it was a really, really big mountain to climb to peg that back,” Smith said. Yet, as the game wore on, the Cherrypickers found their rhythm. The crowd came alive as the side began to click. Boro Navori, a constant threat all game, crossed the line twice with two brilliant efforts that kept Young’s hopes alive. Jesse Corcoran and Tom Giles also added their names to the score-sheet.
“The second half was a lot better. The effort was there and everything, it was just a shame we couldn’t do that for 80 minutes,” Smith said. “That was a bit of the story of our season.”
While the final score of 32-20 might suggest a comfortable win for Gundagai, it doesn’t tell the whole story. The Cherrypickers had dominated periods of the game, holding their own against a side that had looked unstoppable at times this year. A late try by Young made the final score a little more reflective of the effort, but it couldn’t erase the ache of defeat.
A Season of Resilience
For the Young Cherrypickers, the season ends here, but they have nothing to be ashamed of.
Smith reflected on a challenging season marked by injuries and inconsistent performances, yet praised the team’s resilience. “It was a very up-and-down, challenging season with all the injuries and the consistency of the side,” Smith said, noting the team’s journey from four straight wins to a five-loss streak before bouncing back with seven consecutive victories.
“The boys did really well to get where they got. I think they got rid of the hoodoo of clubs winning a premiership and then not making the finals. So we certainly didn’t do that. It’s just good to get where we were, but it’s just a shame we didn’t get that one extra.”
Smith also highlighted several players for their standout performances during the final game. “Jayke Hogan was excellent as always. Jonah Latu, when he came on, brought a lot of energy and picked the side up. He was really good, and as always, Jake Walker was up front. He was excellent as well,” Smith said.
“If you’re talking outside backs, Boro Novari had a really good game. He was probably the pick of the outside backs.” While the team was largely at full strength for the game, Smith admitted that the season’s injury toll had taken its toll.
“We were only missing Isaac Mataleva-Booth. Other than that, we were pretty much full strength,” he said. “There were guys there that were carrying injuries and stuff, but as I say, we’re not going to use that as an exuse. We just lacked the energy in the first half and just made the goal-posts a bit too far to get to.”
Looking to the Future
The sun might have set on their season, but the Young Cherrypickers have laid a foundation for a powerful future. They will be back, stronger than ever.
The win sees Gundagai advance to the 2025 Group 9 Grand Final to face the Wagga Kangaroos. Smith is optimistic about the club’s future and its focus on nurturing local talent.
“We are always looking to put a side on the park that’s going to challenge the premiership. “That’s what the supporters want, that’s what the clubs want, and what the sponsors want, so we will certainly be on the lookout for quality players,” Smith said.
“We will also be looking in-house for a lot of positions as well through all those guys that we blooded.”
Reflecting on his first year as President, Smith expressed his commitment to building a better club for the next generation.
“You just take it year by year,” he said. “As long as I see what I’m sort of planning to do come true, and try to make the club better for the next person. That’s the only time I will call it quits, and it puts us in a good position.”
The club faces the challenge of developing and retaining young talent, with players like Riley Butcher and Cooper Smith moving to Sydney clubs.
“That’s what I mean, you’ve got these guys coming through, but being a Bush footy club, it is always hard to sort of keep them here and consistently coming through into first grade,” Smith said.
However, he noted that if they return, they often come back as better players. “It’s a catch-22. You might lose them for a couple of years or three or four years, then they might come back, too.”
Girls’ Team Continues to Shine
The focus now shifts to the Women’s Tackle team, who are still in the running for a premiership. Smith praised the girls’ dedication and recent performances.
“The girls were excellent. They just keep getting better and better every week,” he said. “They’ve overcome those sorts of issues, and they’re really starting to play good football right at the end of the year.” Smith singled out Caitlin Blackford as the most consistent player all year and was confident in the team’s ability to go all the way.
“They’ve got the side. They are the best side in the competition when they play their best footy,” he said. “So it’s just about getting their nerves out of their system and believing in themselves, and I’m very confident they’ll come home with the trophy if they can do that.”
– Tully Potts
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