The final hooter sliced through the crisp afternoon air, a sound both sharp and sweet. It wasn’t the triumphant roar of a grand final victory, but for the Cootamundra Bulldogs, it was something far more important: a gasp of relief. On the scoreboard, the numbers told the story of their survival: Cootamundra 26, Albury 16. It had been a grinding, bruising elimination final, and as the players embraced in the middle of the field, a collective weight seemed to lift from their shoulders. The season, for another week at least, was still alive.
Coach Tom Miller watched from the sideline, a satisfied but weary smile on his face. He had seen the best and worst of his side in recent weeks—a slump that had threatened to derail their entire campaign. “It was good to finally get back in the winner’s circle,” he murmured to his assistant, the words sounding less like a quote and more like a personal mantra. “It’s been a while; we’ve only had one win in the last month or so of footy. It’s good to at last be back winning.”
The boys were exhausted but jubilant. They had played for each other, for their coach, and for a chance at redemption. The first half had been everything Miller had hoped for. The team had come together like the well-oiled machine they were supposed to be, moving the ball with a fluidity that Albury simply couldn’t match. It was in those opening forty minutes that Cootamundra had put the game out of reach.
A large part of that early dominance was due to the combination of Paul Bean and Reid McTavish. On the left edge, they were a blur of coordinated aggression and skill. Bean, a formidable presence with the ball in hand, consistently drew in defenders, creating space for McTavish to exploit. And exploit it he did.
One of the team’s five tries came from a perfectly timed inside ball from Bean, which saw McTavish burst through the line and crash over the whitewash, a testament to their on-field chemistry.
But the star of the day, the player who had seemingly done no wrong, was fullback Ollie Hall. He was everywhere at once, a ghost in the defensive line and a wrecking ball on the attack. He scored two of Cootamundra’s tries, each a masterclass in reading the game. The first was a darting run from a scrum, weaving through a broken defensive line with ease. The second was pure, dogged determination—chasing down a long kick, regathering a loose ball, and scoring in the corner. Miller’s praise for him was unequivocal.
“Ollie Hall did what we’ve become accustomed to with his second-to-none fullback play; he had his hands all over a lot of good things,” he reflected later. “I don’t think he made an error.”
In the muddy conditions, that was no small feat. The other tries came from a team effort that showed the Bulldogs’ depth. Ryan Peacey, a relentless work-horse, powered his way over the line, while Isaiah Pulleine found a gap in the defence to get his name on the score sheet.
As each try was celebrated, the dependable boot of Harry Boxsell stepped up. He only slotted three of his five conversion attempts, but those six points were vital in keeping Albury at bay.
Albury, for their part, never gave up. Riley Ivanku, Jack Harris, and Eli Hyland all managed to cross for tries, and their goal-kicker, Nate Broekman, did well to convert two of them. They had pushed the Bulldogs, forcing them to earn every single point, but in the end, Cootamundra’s first-half onslaught was too much to overcome. The loss marked the end of Albury’s season, their dreams of a premiership extinguished.
In the locker room, the mood was one of shared triumph and exhaustion. Mud-caked and breathless, the players sprawled on the benches, a few laughing at the memories of the game. Miller walked among them, his voice low and firm but tinged with pride. He spoke of the grit they had shown, the way they had fought back after a difficult month. “It was just good to see them enjoying their footy, to be honest,” he said, looking at each of them in turn. “It’s definitely the right time of the year for it to happen.”
But even as they basked in the victory, the coach knew their greatest challenge lay ahead. He had a look in his eye that signalled the celebration was over, and the preparation for the next fight was beginning. As the players gathered their bags, the conversation turned from the win to the next opponent: the Young Cherrypickers.
The rivalry between Cootamundra and Young was more than just a game; it was a longstanding tradition that ran deep in the community. The boys on both sides knew each other and had played against each other since they were kids. For many of the Bulldogs in their final year of Under 18s, this would be the last time they’d get to play out the rivalry on the field. “They’ve been looking forward to this, their biggest rivalry,” Miller said, and his words were met with knowing nods from the team.
The Cherrypickers, as the coach noted, were a formidable side. They had had a strong year and had “had it over our boys the last couple of years now.” This wasn’t just another elimination final; it was a chance to finally get the better of their arch-rivals when it mattered most. The key, Miller stressed, would be up front. Young’s forwards were notoriously aggressive, and the Bulldogs would have to be prepared to meet that physicality head-on. “So many times Young’s forward pack just got it over us as they are a bit more aggressive, so we will be really asking our boys to stand up and match their aggression this weekend,” he said, his voice now a low growl.
As the team piled into cars and headed home, there was a different kind of energy in the air. The relief from the Albury win was still there, but it was being replaced by a focused resolve. The boys were already thinking about Alfred Oval, about the Young forwards, and about the challenge they knew would be waiting for them. The season was on the line, but this time, it was a rivalry, a longstanding feud, that was fueling their fire. They had survived, but now they had to prove they deserved to advance.
They knew they couldn’t just rely on the momentum of their win. They needed a perfect week of training, a collective mindset of determination, and a full team. The one piece of the puzzle they were missing was the formidable forward Will White, whose return from injury was still uncertain. But for now, the most pleasing thing was the clean bill of health after the Albury match. They were ready. The Cootamundra Bulldogs were coming for the Cherrypickers, and this time, they weren’t going down without a fight.
– Tully Potts
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