Childers and district is celebrating after Isis Devils were crowned the kings and queens of the Northern Districts Rugby League (NDRL).
The men’s A grade and women’s League Tag teams both claimed tough grand final victories over Gladstone Wallabys 26-22 and three-times defending champions Gin Gin Hawkettes 10-6 respectively at Tegege on Sunday.
The men's side came from behind to complete back-to-back titles in just their second season back in the NDRL after joining the Bundaberg Rugby League (BRL) in 2002 and competing well for 17 seasons.
They were in a league of their own in their comeback last season, suffering just two narrow losses on their way to a 46-14 blitz of South Kolan Sharks in the decider.
This year the Devils lost just one fixture match and they had skinned the Wallabys in all three previous meetings, including in the qualifying final 46-18, taking their points scored against them to collectively 154 while conceding just 42.
Another blowout looked on the cards when the Devils came out firing and opened their account with flashy young winger Jonah Chapman scoring in the corner in just the third minute, then veteran second rower James Murray-Bryant powering over and Brent Hass converting for a 10-0 lead in even time.
But whether or not they dropped their guard, a mistake from the restart allowed Wallabys to hit back in the ensuing set and they converted, and from there, it was an epic battle.
The Devils however took a 16-6 lead to the break after young gun five-eighth Bryden Blair, who was among the stars in Past Brothers’ BRL grand final victory last season, sliced through a tiring defence and crossed under the posts in the dying seconds and Hass duly converted.
Down but not out, Wallabys, in their first season in the NDRL after integrating from the Gladstone league, feasted on a series of Devils errors and dominated the first 20 minutes of the second stanza, taking a six-point lead with three unanswered tries and captain and five-eighth Matt Baker, whose wife Chelsea, a former NRLW, Origin and Jillaroos icon, is coach, landing his third side-line conversion.
After being repeatedly denied, Isis eventually clawed their way back with Chapman crossing for his second try in the 63rd minute, but it took some more Bryden Blair magic to regain the lead and put them further ahead with another try seven minutes later. Hass again added the extras.
Still, Wallabys were not beaten and they created several more chances as the clock ticked away, including after Devils, who were reduced to 12 men for the last six minutes due to a sin binning.
However, Isis jealously guarded their lead.
Despite a five-star performance by Bryden Blair and also Chapman’s heroics, Bryden’s elder brother and 31-year-old team co-captain and rampaging front rower Royce took out the player of the final award.
It was another very proud day for their mother and club president Rhonda Campbell, who worked hard to revive the club after four years in limbo and has continued to lead from the front.
Second season proud coach Ian Kearton said every player contributed in a robust team performance, with their other inspirational co-captain Zac Dann - a Devils junior - chalking up his second straight Central Burnett-Northern Districts Premiership double after also playing leading hands in Gayndah Gladiators’ two straight grand final triumphs.
Isis had only previously bagged back-to-back titles once – in 1999-2000 – with their other premierships coming in 1988, 1993, and 1997.
Meanwhile, the women's League Tag finale was always going to be an epic duel following on from the same game last year when the Hawkettes got home 16-14 in extra-time.
But on Sunday, the Devils threw down the gauntlet with the only points of the first half, a try to 15-year-old winger Madison Holding.
They also snared the vital first try of the second stanza with their other flanker Teagan Hass finishing off a lightning raid down the left and also inspirational captain and centre Klarissa Campbell raising the flags.
From that point, Gin Gin dominated territorially, but they were restricted to just one try, scored by mercurial No. 9 Ruby Tobin with 15 minutes left on the clock, with Karrie Hills converting.
Try as they may through all of their attacking weapons, the three-time champions could not crack the Devils’ defence again, and Isis stalwart and coach Glen Oates said it was decisive.
Isis had also won 12-0 in the major semi-final and in one of their three round clashes, so they finished with the honours 3-2 over the course of the regular season, after Gin Gin claimed the pre-season women's League Tag gala silverware with a 10-4 win over them in that final.
Devils’ powerhouse - all-round sports talent Ana Kehl - was a popular winner of the player of the final, but Oates said every one of his players stood tall.
“Ana had been our halfback but she works up north now, so Rana Blair stepped up and did a great job, but Ana drove back on Saturday to play and I’m pleased for her because she missed the kick that would have won in in regulation time last year. Madison missed the kick in extra-time but her try today makes up for that,” Oates said.
“We tried to lose it before we won it but our defence won it for us – our attack was the worst it has been all season – we only had about 75 per cent of the ball but the girls stayed solid and believed in themselves.”
Men Competition
Isis Devils 26 (Jonah Chapman 2, Bryden Blair 2, James Murray-Bryant tries; Brent Hass 3 goals) def Gladstone Wallabys 22 (Damian McAllister, Beau Elphinstone, Jamieson Cannon, Jamie Powell tries; Matthew Baker 3 goals).
Women's League Tag
Isis Devils 10 (Madison Holding, Teagan Hass tries; Klarissa Campbell goal) def Gin Gin Hawkettes 6 (Ruby Tobin try; Karrie Hills goal).
