Dubbo schools dominated in the Andrew Ryan Country Cup yesterday, with the under-13s South Dubbo side and the Dubbo College Senior Campus opens both progressing to the NSW Country Cup semi-final next Wednesday.
The under-13s showed enormous talent, beating much larger opponents to the title and running away with the cup after winning all three games yesterday.
The Senior Campus side was lucky not to progress through after a loss to Red Bend in the final game of the day saw them take the title on a countback.
The region’s finest schoolboy teams in under 13s, 15s and opens divisions converged on Apex Oval yesterday for the tournament which produced some high-quality rugby league.
Andrew Ryan and injured Bulldogs team-mate Luke Patten were in attendance for the carnival yesterday and both agreed the talent on show was outstanding.
“The talent and the quality of football at this tournament each year continues to surprise me,” Ryan said.
“I really enjoy coming back for the carnival and watching the talent get better and better.
“The close games goes to show how good all the teams are,” he said.
In the 15s division, Dubbo College Delroy Campus was unlucky not to take the title after being pipped at the post in a count back against Bathurst High.
Dubbo College Senior Campus also represented in the 15s division but were unable to come away with a win.
The South Dubbo 13s and the Senior Campus opens will now head to Cootamundra next Wednesday for the Country Cup semi-final, and coach for both sides Craig May hopes they can both progress through to the State final which will be held in Dubbo on August 13.
“I am blown away with how my under-13s played, they were up against much larger opponents and they played above themselves and came away with the title,” May said.
“The opens will have to really lift their game if they want to progress through to the State final.
“They made some fundamental errors and will need to improve if they want to go any further in this competition,” he said.
South Dubbo player Jai Dunn and Senior Campus player Jeremy Smith were both selected as the player of the tournament in their respective age groups.