Dubbo’s Jordan Moran has achieved a lot in his career from club titles, to representative grand final wins and NSW Country selection.
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But last week’s Primary Schools Sports Association (PSSA) Championship campaign, where he coached a Western squad which included Orange’s Sam Gee, Jono Rasmussen and Ben Anderson, is one he’ll treasure as much as any personal achievements.
After years of battling for victories and often left playing off for minor positions on the final day, Western produced some of its best efforts in years on the way to finishing an impressive third in the entire state.
“It was absolutely outstanding,” Moran said last week at the conclusion of the carnival.
“The most proud I’ve ever been as a coach, the last four days.”
The third-placed finish was even more memorable due to the fact Western lost to the Polding on day one, and is the red and greens’ best finish since claiming the state title in 2004.
Following that loss the Western side scored a convincing win over Barrier and then two tight wins over North Coast and North West.
“We made 230 or 240 and then bowled them out for 50,” Moran said of the win over Barrier.
“We had North Coast on Wednesday and we got sent on a wet wicket and were all out for about 60 and then we had them 4-15 at lunch.
It was absolutely outstanding ... the most proud I’ve ever been as a coach, the last four days.
- Western coach Jordan Moran.
“But after that they got to about 4-50 but we rolled the dice and got the last six wickets for about 10 runs.”
Anderson starred with both bat and ball. With willow in hand he averaged 16 with a top score of 35 against Polding, while he also snared five wickets at an average of five.
Rasmussen bowled superbly, also snaring five wickets at an average of a tick over seven, while Gee bowled well without luck to take 0-38 and batted well for his top score of 13 in Western’s final game.
Moran said the final day of the carnival, where his side played North West, was as much about ensuring everyone got a go as it was about winning.
“We got three wins from four and we haven’t done that in the six or seven years I’ve been involved so it’s a massive achievement,” Moran said.