By Steve Cuff
There were emotional scenes in Narooma last weekend when the Snowy River Bears Rugby League Club ended a long 28-year drought to win the Group 16 first grade competition.
The game was a true grand final encounter, the Bears fighting until the very end to defeat the Eden Tigers 20-12 in what was a tense encounter for the entire 80 minutes.
When the fulltime siren sounded, players were hugging each other and the large crowd of Bears supporters who had made the journey to the coast erupted with applause and rushing the field to congratulate the team.
The Bears last won the first grade premiership in 1996, when a Mark Wakefield (ex Cronulla player) led side defeated the Eden Tigers 18-0.
To start the game the Bears endured constant pressure from Eden, the first ten minutes of the game saw Eden on the front foot and threatening the Bears, but they could not convert their early dominance into points.
The game turned when Bears winger Jake Hedger scored a brilliant try in the right corner on the 13-minute mark. Having to beat two defenders from several metres out, Hedger spun in the tackle and used pure strength to plant the ball down for an emphatic individual try.
In the proceeding passage of play the Bears turned the game around, and were unlucky not to have more points with two disallowed tries to John Field and Jake Hedger when the team thought they had scored. Centre Isacc Seeto also fumbled the ball in another threatening attack in the right corner.
The game was now settling into a pattern of big running forwards from both sides hitting solid defence. The bears forward pack working tirelessly in both attack and defence.
Adam Walters laid a few big hits on the Eden runners and Corey Thomas and Nic Marshall were leading the charge.
Captain coach Josh Hitchens was inspirational all season, and again he led from the front putting his body on the line in many bruising encounters.
Fullback and man of the match Dean Wilson probed all day long and made several breaks to set up attacking raids. He continued his dazzling runs all game and was a well-deserved recipient of the best player award.
Eden scored with ten minutes left in the first half to now be leading 6-4 on the scoreboard, and the game now clearly in the balance and shaping up to be a thriller.
Winger Maika Rovouvou was outstanding, and when he leapt for a bomb, caught the ball high in the air and then immediately dived over to score his teammates were ecstatic. It was a spectacular try and allowed the Bears to lead at half time 10-6.
The second half was always going to be tough. Both teams had not given an inch and were putting their bodies on the line.
Rovouvou continued to ease pressure on the forwards with his kick returns, and moving from his wing to continually take carry ups and create valuable metres.
Jake Hedger leapt for a bomb and was unlucky he did not score again as the Bears started to gain a slight ascendency. Josh Hitchens also went close to scoring with a typical bullocking run.
Eden were held up over the line by Troy Freebody as the Bears weathered the storm, showing staunch defence.
Halfway through the second half it was still anyone’s game. Both teams were throwing everything at each other.
Another break from fullback Dean Wilson set up the next try. Passing to Jake Hedger who then kicked ahead for Carlos Marr to dive on the loose ball and score. Bears now leading 14-6 with ten minutes remaining, the try not converted.
When Eden scored with 5 minutes left on clock, there may have been a few nervous Bears supporters. The game far from over but the Bears seemed to still have control.
Big Brendon Taueki crashed over in the 79th minute to seal the win in what was a highly entertaining game.
The Bears were now in celebration mode as the realisation the long drought was over for the first-grade title.
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