Ag College took another massive step towards locking in their finals berth with a 41-24 win over Tumut at Jarrah Oval on Saturday.
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Aggies jumped two wins clear of both Albury and Griffith with a determined win on the road.
The Bulls went out to an early 12-0 lead before the Wagga side scored the next 26 points to be in front at half-time.
Tumut got within seven points midway through the second half, and had a number of good scoring opportunities, but Aggies were able to hold strong for an important win.
Coach Will Mitchell is thrilled with how his team is travelling.
“We were confident coming up here but we know that they are a good side and the game plans are chalk and cheese to each other,” Mitchell said. “It was a matter of crucial mistakes and crucial parts of the game that we probably won more of and that was the difference.”
After getting the better of the Steamers last week, Aggies have put themselves in the box seat to play finals.
They’ve got games against the two bottom sides, Wagga City and CSU to come, plus Leeton, while the Blacks have to tackle the top three teams Leeton, Tumut and Waratahs in the next three weeks.
Ag College scrapped into the finals last season, before falling at the first hurdle, but this time around Mitchell believes they are much better positioned to make a real charge at it.
“Unless we have a pretty big hiccup, or three hiccups, I can’t see us no playing finals which is a bit of a monkey off the back,” he said.
“It just shows were a in much better nick than last year and we are playing much better footy week-in, week-out.”
Gerard McTaggart and Cam Duffy both scored two tries and were among Ag College’s best while Duncan Woods and Matt Harris were strong in the forward pack.
Meanwhile Tumut are looking to respond after consecutive losses.
The Bulls won seven straight before coming unstuck against Waratahs and now Ag College.
Coach Morgan Grivas thought his side switched off after going up early.
“We jumped out to a really good start and I think as a side we probably felt it was just going to keep rolling for us and we didn’t do the work,” Grivas said.
“We didn’t respond to any problems with the referee, or respond to the way Aggies fought back and kept giving them the ball and kept giving them good field possession.
“The intent just wasn’t there to play footy properly.”
Tumut are now less than a win ahead of Ag College on the ladder.
While disappointed his team failed to put together a full performance, Grivas is far from panicking yet.
