It was always going to be a big game with GI involved, but when the Wall Street Warriors (WSW) drew the venerable Combined Countries (CC) team in the first round of the Koori Knockout (KO), the stakes went through the roof.
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To give some perspective, in the 2016 KO, Combined Countries – a club made from players from Campbelltown, Camden and Liverpool – became the first in Knockout history to field three teams in the grand finals.
The open men’s team was just pipped at the post that year by the Redfern All Blacks n the finals.
They were back with a vengeance in 2017 and smashed the reigning champs in the second round. They also made a meal out of our Nambucca Valley Rams in the third round, 38-12, but bowed out in the semis against Griffith.
In its fifth KO, and with two solid months of training under its belt, the super slick CC outfit was out to uphold its reputation as one of the clear favourites in this tournament.
They capitalised early on any opportunity, and a fumbled ball by the much younger WSW team two minutes in led to the first points on the board for the South-Western Sydney team.
Confusion in defence led to a follow-up try soon after with CC taking the lead 10-0.
Watch the NITV live stream of the game here:
Suddenly fortunes looked to change as a sneaky little CC grubber was expertly intercepted by the WSW youngster Kalani Morris and taken for a dazzling 60 metre sprint down the sideline, outpacing several defenders, to glide the ball safely inside the goalposts.
But, unfortunately, that’s where the WSW’s opportunities ended; another case of butter fingers led to the third CC try in the first 20-minute half; 16-6.
By the second half, the jitters of the WSW’s inaugural match had subsided and it was a more even matching.
But try as they might, the WSW just couldn’t find a fault in the CC’s defense.
A minor breakdown in the WSW’s defensive line on the wing led to one more try from the Combined Countries team, sealing the fate of the WSW, as the scoreboard screamed back 22-6.
There would inevitably have been some heavy hearts after the drumming up the Macksville boys had received by the media prior to the game owing to the inclusion of an NRL superstar in their ranks.
But club president Stephen Blair said after a post-match catch-up with family, friends and supporters, the players could reflect on their inaugural entry into the Koori Knockout with pride and hearts full of hope for the future.
“We actually did a pretty good job keeping the score at 22-6,” Stephen said, noting the flogging the Cabbage Tree Island boys received from the Combined Countries team in the third round: An eye-watering shut-out reading 46-0.
“Us seniors are all pretty proud of what a lot of the younger blokes have done. It was pretty emotional just getting out there on the field. Everyone’s hopeful. We know it’s a stepping stone.”
It wasn’t to be for our Nambucca Valley Rams either, who also bowed out in a round one clash against the Campbelltown Ghosts’ premier grade side.
But watch this space NSW. With renewed energy and focus on building strong Indigenous footy representation, 2019 could very well see our little Valley knock over those cocky city-slicker teams.
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Mel Leigh Dee
Mel is a journalist at the Guardian News and is based in Macksville.
Mel is a journalist at the Guardian News and is based in Macksville.
