Roma Cities continued their 2019 dominance in Sunday’s Roma and District Rugby League A Grade decider, defeating the Wallumbilla / Surat Red Bulls 30-10 to claim this year’s title.
The RDRL held a successful grand final event at Bassett Park with four grades featuring in an action-packed day.
As always, a massive crowd gathered prior to the Under 16 game kicking off, mostly to gain the best parking spot around the grounds.
This would have to be the jewel in the crown of the Queensland Outback Rugby League grand final days!
If you are able to attend a game in the country - you can watch it from the comfort of your car, or in the grandstand or from the well-attended bar.
Maybe even on the back of a parked semi or just in a camping chair … you don’t get this type of atmosphere anywhere else but the Outback.
Roma’s big day started out with an absolute thriller in the Under 16 finale between the undefeated Chinchilla Bulldogs and Wallumbilla / Surat Red Bulls.
The Red Bulls started with two early tries and were looking determined to upset the favourites, leading 20-6 at halftime.
No one is quite sure what type of oranges they used or what coach Mark Lingard said at the break, but Chinchilla came out firing in the second half, scoring two tries in the first seven minutes to eventually run out winners 30-28.
The Under 18 decider was also played between the Bulldogs and Red Bulls with the Red Bulls entering the game as minor premiers.
The match-up was your typical, entertaining youth game with plenty of skill on display as well as many future A Graders featuring from both clubs.
From start to finish, it was virtually try-for-try with neither side gaining a great advantage.
At fulltime, it was the Bulldogs who were able to make it two from two against Wallumbilla / Surat.
The Reserve Grade big dance is always one of the games of the day, with so much passion shown by so many young players and older players coming back for one more year.
This year’s showdown was played between Roma Cities and Mitchell Magpies and did not let anyone down, There was no more than four points difference between the two sides for most of the game.
That was until three minutes to go when Cities jumped out to win the game 26-18 and claim their fourth-consecutive title in the division.
The big one for the day was the A Grade between Roma Cities and the only team who were able to beat the minor premiers all year, the Red Bulls.
The game started out with Cities regaining the ball from the kick off and scoring in the first 60 seconds of the game.
The Red Bulls hit back in the next few minutes with a converted try and the lead changed hands several times in the first half before Cities hung on to a 16-10 lead at the break.
The second 40 had everything; including a send-off and the injury to Boomer Kennedy, who was refereeing his 27th A Grade grand final.
However, the Red Bulls did not give up trying in the second half, but Cities continued their dominance in this year’s A Grade competition went on to win 30-10.
2019 RDRL grand final results
A Grade
Cities 30 (Tim Phips 2, Tom Barron 2, Billy Coonan, Jackson Shellswell, Matt Roberts tries; Jackson Green goal) defeated Red Bulls 10 (Floyd Daniel, Kahn Ladbrook tries; Blake Cowburn goal)
Reserve Grade
Cities 26 (Hamish Volker, Tristan Waites, Jordon Collinson, Rhett Lewis, Jeremy Mills tries; Jeremy Green 3 goals) defeated Mitchell 18 (Warren Draper, Anthony Whittaker, Drew Page, Geoffrey Kenafake tries; Daniel Bruce goal)
Under 18
Chinchilla 31 (Brandon Williams, Matt Hart, Will McCullagh, Brandon Pearon, Josh Colls tries; Ray Mutch 5 goals; Will McCullogh field goal) defeated Red Bulls 22 (Jarrod Rogers, Abe Irwin, Tanar Rivers, Jye Johnson, Max Munro tries; Ash Harth goal)
Under 16
Chinchilla 30 (Bryton Nimo 2, Tom Lenihan 2, Lachlan Smith tries; Lachlan Smith 5 goals) defeated Red Bulls 28 (Dylan Ogden 2, Mitch Taylor 2, Matt York, Logan Walsh tries; Bryce Jump 2 goals)
Players of the Year
Under 16: Dylan Ogden - Wallumbilla / Surat Red Bulls
Under 18: Matt Eising – Chinchilla Bulldogs
Reserve Grade: Daniel Bruce – Mitchell Magpies
A Grade: Brendan Grulke – Roma Cities
