Temora won its way through to its second first division grand final in three years after staving off a late charge from Wagga City.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Little separated the two teams all day at Cranfield Oval but the Tuskers just got ahead late.
Wagga City took a 20-19 lead into the break before tries to Joel Skidmore and Texman Ratuva gave Temora a handy lead.
However all that changed when Nathan Philp was yellow carded for a lifting tackle.
Philp’s dismissal left the Tuskers one man short for the last eight minutes of the game and was the perfect opportunity for the Boiled Lollies to extend their season.
They got one try back and went ever so close to scoring the match winner but Temora were able to repel their attempts.
Tuskers coach Ben Carter was thrilled his team has been able to work their way into the second tier decider after an ordinary start to his coaching career.
Temora struggled with player numbers and injuries, taking nine to a game in Leeton earlier this season, but have come good during the finals series.
“At the start of the year we didn’t expect to be here and even halfway through the year we didn’t expect to be here,” Carter said.
“The fact that we keep performing and going from strength to strength shows just how much the boys want it.
“They’ve got that fire in the belly now.”
Carter said the players showed “grit and determination” to hold out their more fancied rivals after Philp was given his marching orders.
“It was extremely tight all game and right up until the last two and half minutes when City were putting pressure on our try line,” he said.
“The boys, even though they conceded a couple of penalties on the line, were able to hold them out for that extra couple of minutes which worked to our advantage in the end.”
Carter thought have consistent players to pick from has helped his team’s improvement and from there confidence has grown.
They will face a bigger test in the grand final against CSU, a club they are yet to beat this season.
“It’s going to be a hard fought game and we’re expecting them to bring everything out,” Carter said.
“We aren’t going to take it lying down.”
Hayden Philp, who scored a first half double, was among the best for the Tuskers and he combined well with his brother Nathan in defence to limit Wagga City’s scoring opportunities.
Full-time
TEMORA 34 (H Philp 2, M Vulilaglagi, J Skidmore, T Ratuva tries; C Jordan 3 cons, pen) d WAGGA CITY 30
