The local derby in the under 18s grand final lived up to the billing with the Yanco-Wamoon side coming from behind to take a golden-point thriller against Leeton at Solar Mad Stadium.
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The Hawks made a quick start to the game with Oswald Hermann getting across the line before Kurt Bloomfield extended the Yanco side’s lead while Leeton’s Charles Kwan was in the sin bin following a shoulder charge.
Leeton scored two in quick succession before the break as Kirtis Fisher made the most of a mistake at the back from the Hawks while Ty Fletcher was able to score under the posts to see the sides locked at 10-all at the break.
The Greens started the second half strongly with Elwyn Ravu scoring under the post 10 minutes after the break before Fisher scored his second four minutes later. The Hawks didn’t lay down and with Ryan Grieg and Kody Collins scoring within four minutes of each other Yanco-Wamoon were trailing by two points late in the second half.
A shoulder charge on the siren gifted Yanco the chance to pull level and while being under pressure of keeping his side in the grand final Collins was able to slot the penalty goal and send the game into golden point.
Both sides missed chances to take the win with a field goal before Collins stepped up after another bit of ill-discipline gave him a shot from 20 out which he slotted calmly to give his side a 24-22 win.
Yanco-Wamoon coach Matt Coelli praised the way Collins performed under the pressure.
“Kody like the big moments and the more pressure he is put under he thrives,” he said.
“He made a couple of critical mistakes earlier when there was no pressure put on him, but the big things he like the pressure more than anything I think.”
With the sides being evenly matched the margin was of little surprise to Coelli.
“There was nothing between the two sides all year,” he said.
“They are a good side, but I think our boys, wouldn’t say more hungry, but they haven't tasted a grand final and the other boys have won a few, and they hung in there and hung in as good as they could.
“I think just working for each other and putting their hands up and having a run, we are not the most brilliant side in the competition by a long shot but they kept working for each other and worked together.”
