With a substantial crowd in attendance to the appropriate accompaniment of cattle bellowing from the sale yards overlooking the ground, the Dolphins overcame the Bulls, four tries to two, to claim the honour of hosting “Super Saturday’s” semi-final double-header at Peter Barclay Field, Tuncurry, next weekend.

It was hard, hand-to-hand football with the head-on tackling of lock Pat Randall and hooker Scott Walmsley, coupled with the powerful work of props Ben Manning and Gavin Maberly-Smith and lock Nigel Pereira, and vigor of backrowers Tom Homer, Troy Haines and Jack Woods, which paved the way for the win.

Initially, the Dolphins’ wide service of half-back pair Liam Brady and Matt Nuku and centres Mark Hagarty and Kurt Forester saw wing veteran, Rob Avard, touch down in the corner to which the Bulls responded with halfback Andrew Paynter’s tap and run try.

Since the Bulls’ 29-21 first-round win over the Dolphins at Nabiac, Paynter has been moved from breakaway with goal-kicking Steven Curnow switching to fullback. But injury to centre James Handford (torn hamstring) was a critical loss, however valuable James Dinnan continues in midfield.

Thereafter, with Nuku orchestrating the show and Homer leading the forward charge, the Dolphins’ fleet-footed, wing-to-wing rugby earned them three additional tries in the second half and the bonus point success.

The back-breaker for the Bulls was match-winning winger Jack Nicholson’s achievement, eluding defenders with his speed from near half-way in a diagonal run across-field to the posts.

The Bulls were beaten, but wounded pride and a decade of ambition and frustration will see them enter next Saturday’s major semi-final against the Dolphins even more dangerous rivals.

When attacking moves failed to yield tries, the goal-kicking of Nuku and loose-head replacement, Lee Crozier, became a valuable weapon with seven goals from eight attempts.

Down at Hawks Nest, the Myall Coast Mudcrabs and Manning River Ratz, of Taree, squared off in their own pre-semi-final battle, the Ratz winning, 57-7, while at Gloucester with their home ground advantage, the Cockies overcame the Old Bar Clams, 40-14.

 The mountain air is always bracing beneath the Bucketts Range, the Clams continuing to draw a blanket over a difficult season, in which period their committee and new coach, Tim Tout, have begun an important resurgence within the club.

“It was a good, tough game and the Clams played some attractive football. They made it hard for us,” Gloucester’s captain Mick Wooster said.

Next Saturday’s semi-finals at Tuncurry are: 1pm, Manning River v Myall Coast, 3pm Forster-Tuncurry v Wallamba.