Mudgee spoil hopes of an all-Orange Group 10 grand final

THE chance of an all-Orange Group 10 grand final will have to wait another year following the Mudgee Dragons’ comfortable 42-18 win against the giant-killing Orange Hawks in yesterday’s final at Jubilee Oval.

In a match that failed to live up to any great heights, Mudgee did the simple things right more often than Hawks.

Although they lacked intensity, when the Dragons needed to step up, they did.

“When we got it right, they couldn’t handle us,” Dragons coach Peter Hickman said.

“When we got the first three rucks out of the set and then we could go out of the set and punch some holes in them.”

The first hole Mudgee punched was in the fourth minute as Steve Leane delved into his bag of tricks to open the scoring.

A few minutes later, the Dragons had their second when Bubba Kennedy dived over from dummy-half. Warick Colley’s sideline conversion made the score 10-0.

But if Mudgee thought this was going to be a stroll in the park, they soon realised it wasn’t.

Hawks second-rower Mick Ryan shrugged off some sloppy Mudgee defenders and muscled his way over the white stripe.

A Hawks mistake in front of their own goal gave Mudgee prop Chris Hickman a rare four-pointer.

In the next set of six, the Dragons kept the ball alive and fullback Jared Robinson had a try and Mudgee had a 20-6 lead.

It increased to 26-6 on the stroke of half-time as Kyle Cochrane ran 50 metres to score the Dragons’ fifth try.

Enjoying a 20-point lead, the Dragons’ faithful thought the defending premiers were going to flex their muscles in the second stanza.

But Hawks opened the scoring in the second through centre Semisi Katoa.

A second to Lane put Mudgee’s lead to 18 but a try to the two blues’ speedy fullback Josefa Lasagavibau gave the Orange side the slightest hope of an upset with 20 to go.

As the game went on, the Dragons became increasingly tired.

Karl Weatherley, Chris Hickman and Simon Osborne were doing it tough without a break, while Peter Curry, Lane and Kennedy were all given an early rest as a precautionary measure.

A second try to Cochrane and a four-pointer to Corin Smith sealed the win for Mudgee.

Hawks captain-coach Todd Barrow said it was disappointing his side failed to keep up with Mudgee.

“They were too good for us. Their speed around the ruck and play-the-ball was too good for us,” Barrow said.

“But I’m proud of the boys, we’ve had a good season this season. We’ve come from last last year, so I’m pretty happy.”

Hickman said his side would now focus on Orange CYMS and hopefully defend their title in this Sunday’s grand final at Wade Park.

“It’s nil-all. We go there and play well, we give ourselves the best shot. Yes it is in Orange, that’s the way it is,” Hickman said.

MUDGEE DRAGONS 42 (Steve Lane 2, Kyle Cochrane 2, Bubba Kennedy, Chris Hickman, Jared Robinson, Corin Smith tries; Warick Colley 5 goals) def ORANGE HAWKS 18 (Semisi Katoa, Mick Ryan, Josefa Lasagavibau tries; Todd Barrow 3 goals).