The rain held off enough for Mossgiel road to open up, saving many players the long trip through Hay to Ivanhoe, unlike the past two seasons.

Round 1 last year saw several big scores in both women’s and men’s games, but this year nearly every game was a close, tough contest.

Women’s Games

In a disappointing sign to start the year for Barellan, they forfeited the first women’s game against Deniliquin.

Deniliquin receive the points while Barellan will need to regroup and hopefully get their side together for Round 2 in two weeks’ time, which is another big road trip.

Rankins Springs began well in their game vs Goolgowi, with new signing Tynetta French making an early line break for Tash Tuckett to score and put the Dragons ahead 4-0.

Goolgowi hit back not long after with a long range try to Tahli Connor, before a bad injury to a Goolgowi player cut the game short while an ambulance was called and both teams agreed to a 4-all draw.

Hillston looked set to pull off a big upset against the grand finalists after a long range try to Tulia Ciri had them up 8-6 late in the second half, after the first half saw Cherokee Dixon from Ivanhoe dive over from dummy half and Hillston’s Leah Rudman score to get the Bluebirds back in it.

With only a minute to go on the clock, another long range try this time by Aimee McGuckin put Ivanhoe in front to pull off a 10-8 victory and put the Hens on top of the ladder to start the season.

Men’s Games

Deniliquin and Barellan, both short on the day, agreed to an 11 v 11 game and despite some hard defence from the Blueheelers early, the Rams quickly got on the front foot with many of their premiership-winning players contributing heavily in attack.

A 30-0 halftime lead only increased with captain/coach Noah Forbutt scoring a hat-trick, halfback Teague Studholme with two and backrower Darcy Payne also grabbing a double.

Deni managed a lone try with Barellan centre Rodney Gibbs trading jerseys late in the game to help the Blueheelers keep a side.

Forbutt also managed nine goals to begin his season with 30 points.

The return of the close, tough Goolgowi/Rankins Springs games from the early years of the comp came to fruition on Saturday with a very physical game adding another chapter to the long rivalry.

Rankins Springs had to hold out many attacking sets on their own line, with Goolgowi coach Tom Condon held up once and many other chances gone begging.

Eventually halfback Henry Taylor dummied and sliced through to put the Rabbitohs up 6-0 at halftime.

The Dragons finally got the ball in good field position which ended with Jack Glyde going over, before Goolgowi regained the lead with winger Mitchell White scoring out wide.

Returning 2021 grand final player-of-the-match Todd McCarten ran back on an angle from out wide to crash through under the posts and level the scores, but a mistake off the next set saw Goolgowi centre Fletcher Ryan go over again, before a late penalty goal wrapped it up for the Rabbitohs.

Hillston and Ivanhoe played a game worthy of their rivalry clashes with many big hits and a lot of tough defence.

Hillston winger Tale Delai continued his tryscoring form with another, after three tries at the knockout.

Two more tries to the Bluebirds had them in control of the game at 16-8 in the second half, but continued drop ball kept inviting the Roosters back into it.

The Hillston defence held solid though with Ivanhoe able to break the line late in the game, with 16-8 remaining the final score and Hillston achieving the first win against the home side at Ivanhoe in a regular season game.

Full Results

Women’s

Deniliquin defeated Barellan by forfeit

Rankin Springs 4 (Tash Tuckett try) drew with Goolgowi 4 (Tahli Connor try)

Ivanhoe 10 (Cherokee Dixon, Aimee McGuckin tries; Natalie Johnson goal) defeated Hillston 8 (Tulia Ciri, Leah Rudman tries)

Men’s

Barellan 66 (Noah Forbutt 3, Teague Studholme 2, Darcy Payne 2, Simon Booth, Rodney Gibbs, Beigh Hillier, Tom Bartter, Adam Evans tries; Noah Forbutt 9 goals) defeated Deniliquin 4 (Rodney Gibbs 4)

Goolgowi 18 (Henry Taylor, Mitchell White, Fletcher Ryan tries; Henry Taylor 3 goals) defeated Rankins Springs 10 (Jack Glyde, Todd McCarten tries; Damian Walker goal)

Hillston 16 (Tale Delai, Sentiki Taqabale, Connor Eade tries; Brayden Davis 2 goals) defeated Ivanhoe 8 (Nicholas Clark, Jermaine Dixon tries)

The competition has a break for the June long weekend general bye before things get back underway at Deniliquin on 13 June where Hillston play Barellan, Ivanhoe play Goolgowi and Deniliquin host Rankins Springs.