The
NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout Carnival will move to Tweed Heads next
year after the Wollumbin Warriors’ thrilling comeback victory over La Perouse
on Monday at Oakes Oval. Down 38-14 early in the second half, the Broncos’ Sam
Thaiday and Ian Lacey championed a monumental 30-point resurgence which saw
Wollumbin snatch the title 44-38.
The win scored Tweed Heads $25,000 in prize money and the right to host next year’s event. In the Under 15s Northern United soundly smashed title holders Merritt Patten 46-nil and North Casino knocked off the Lower Clarence Tiddas to capture the women’s title.
The three-day carnival provided the crowd, which swelled to 5000 on the second day, to a display of the fastest and most furious rugby league ever seen on the hallowed turf of Oakes Oval.
The only incident to mar the otherwise professionally run event happened on the second day when, after a thrilling golden point loss to La Perouse, the Moree Rugby League Club and its supporters staged a sit-in on the field. The sit-in held up play for two hours while organisers went into discussions with the Moree officials, who were confused as to the details of the golden point rule. Despite some rather coarse words the dispute was resolved peacefully and the carnival continued under lights.
Story thanks to The Northern Rivers Echo