GROUP Three Junior Rugby League officials stuck strictly to the 500 crowd edict for grand finals played at the Wingham Sporting Complex on Sunday.
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Grand finals were played at three venues, with league tag on Friday night at the Jack Neal Oval, under 10s to 12s at the Port Macquarie Regional Stadium on Saturday and under 13s to 18s at Wingham.
Biggest crowds were at Wingham and some games were delayed until the number of people in the ground was under the 500 limit set by the NSW government under COVID-19 protocols. Once a game finished, spectators at the ground supporting the teams involved were asked to leave.
There was also a long queue of spectators outside the ground before the start of the under 18 match featuring Old Bar and Wingham.
The program was then put back by nearly an hour following an injury to a Port City player, Josh Goldberg in the under 16 clash against Taree Panthers. Goldberg was eventually taken to hospital by ambulance.
Playing in quarters stops momentum
MAINTAINING momentum in a rugby league game played in quarters is difficult.
An elated Wingham under 18 coach Paul Lewis said this after his side defeated Old Bar 13-12 in the grand final at Wingham, the match going into golden point before halfback Hayden Essery kicked a field goal.
"Momentum stops at quarter time,'' Lewis said.
"That makes it hard for both teams.''
Lewis was concerned about his side's high error rate.
"We made it difficult for ourselves, we dropped a lot of ball,'' he said.
"But they did defend well. It was a great game of footy and we got there in the end.''
Essery's boot has been a plus for the Tigers this season.
"Nige Young (the side's trainer) said we'd win a game this year by a field goal. He was right - he's taking the credit for it,'' Lewis laughed.
He paid tribute to fullback JJ Gibson, who battled cramps late in the game but made a decisive run in overtime that led to the Essery field goal.
"JJ was good today, so was (second rower) Will Gee, (lock) Kyle Leonard was good again, like he's been all year,'' Lewis said.
"But they all did their part.''
He understands a number of the players have jobs and will be staying with the club next year and beyond.
"So that's looking good for the future,'' he said.
Old Bar coach Lee Hoawerth couldn't fault his players.
"It was a tough way to lose,'' he said.
"But all these boys showed plenty of heart. It's an absolute credit to them.
"Seven weeks ago we were on one (competition) point,'' Hoawerth noted.
