lmuir@dailyadvertiser.com.au
TWELVE months of concise planning came to an epic end when Kangaroos completed a stunning last-to-first odyssey to smash Gundagai in the Group Nine grand final at Equex Centre yesterday.
After tailing the Group Nine table in 2008, Roos roared to the top of the pile with a near-record 42-4 demolition of Gundagai.
Inspired by the heroics of captain-coach Grant Wooden, Roos led 18-4 at half-time before leaving the Tigers for dead in the second half.
With momentum building by the minute, the champion Wagga team blasted on four tries to zilch in the second half to send Gundagai crashing to its most sickening grand final defeat in nearly 30 years.
Chasing their first Group Nine since 1983, the Tigers showed grit and spirit by the truckload, but failed miserably in their execution.
Out to break a shattering run of six grand final losses in the past 26 years, Gundagai only managed to add another sorry chapter to the club's scrapbook of football horrors.
As the Tigers wrestled with a heartbreaking seventh failed attempt to break their drought, Kangaroos savoured another magnificent milestone yesterday.
The victory gave Roos their first premiership in eight years and lifted Wooden into the realm of the club's greatest-ever leaders.
Recruited from Brothers after the Wagga team fell short of the mark in last year's grand final, Wooden became the centrepiece of Roos bid for this year's crown.
Amid the tumult yesterday, Wooden set about exploding the conception that Kangaroos had bought the coveted premiership this year.
"Plenty of the guys play for nothing," Wooden said.
"This was never about money.
"Some of the guys that signed with us had played here before ... they were just coming home.
"The players wanted to win a competition."
Wooden, who rejected substantial offers from clubs across NSW to sign with Kangaroos this year, and stay on next year, described yesterday's success as a remarkable reward for effort and determination.
"There were 17 players and they all did their part," he said.
"Each and every one of the 17 players was outstanding."
Roos had a simple and effective strategy that virtually had Gundagai out of the contest by half-time.
"The game-plan was to play them (Gundagai) up the middle and hit them hard on the fringe," Wooden said.
"We knew it would be effective."
Roos started with a bang yesterday, scoring the first try in the third minute.
A lovely rehearsed move allowed halfback Baden Power to chip kick for winger Brett Ridley to fly high and grab the softest of tries.
Gundagai, however, replied quickly when prop Peter Magnone surged over from six metres for a try in the 11th minute to level at four-all.
Unfortunately, this was as good as it got for the Tigers.
By the time hooker Adam McCallum belted his way over for a try in the 16th minute, Roos were up 10-4 and gaining in confidence.
Taking advantage of a mounting Gundagai error count, Roos extended the lead with tries to Billy Goode (21st minute) and Ridley (32nd) to be nearly home by half-time.
When Ridley zoomed over for his third try in the 56th minute, there was nothing left for the Tigers but more misery.
For Roos, hooker Adam McCallum, Wooden, Power and centre Steve McDonell were exceptional.
Wooden was later awarded the John Hill Medal for the best on the ground, but McCallum should have been a close second.
McCallum scored a try, tackled like a Trojan and was creative with the ball � a super combination.
Against that, Wooden was superb and he just kept dragging in the defence and still offloading.
Roos defence was a killer for the Tigers. The Wagga team often had the Gundagai players pushing passes or backpedaling.
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