FRONTRUNNERS have emerged for the Best and Fairest count in the 2025 Tumut Old Boys Nines, which enters its final competition round at Twickenham tonight (Friday night).
It should come as no surprise that the Commercial Shark’s Michelle Perry has an unassailable lead in the women’s competition. She is on 12 points, leading Gundagai’s Abbey Flanagan who is on six and Adelong’s Charlotte Kelly who is on four.
Bowlie Bears’ Ethan Gilchrist has the lead in the men’s competition with 12, and the only one who can catch him is Woolpack Jets captain-coach Billy Bridgeman who is on five. Adelong Green and Gold’s Tyron Gorman is on four and Woolpack’s Jack Hiller is on three.
The Tumut Old Boys kept the 3-2-1 count silent until now.
The Star Redmen and the Batlow Tigers get the action underway tonight at 5.45pm.
The Redmen won’t be at full strength.
“Coming off the back off a few injuries we are coming into the last round with not as many players as we expected to have,” Star’s Bradley Porteous said.
“The boys just want to make the most of this last round and have some fun. We know Batlow are tough as nails with some quality players. Working from last week, we just need to hold the ball and shut down the opposition’s middle.”
The Gundagai Tigers and Adelong Green and Gold then take the field for the first women’s game.
“The girls are pumped for this game,” Tigers coach Chris Rainbow said.
“It’s going to be a great I thought Adelong were tough last week, down on troops and up against Tumut who are red hot. Friday’s game will be tough and we will have to earn it but we are looking forward to it. We have no changes.”
He said the team haven’t really talked about finals yet.
“We are just taking it week by week; we will worry about that hurdle once we get to it. But Tumut will be hard to beat.”
Adelong’s Teisha Freeman says the Green and Gold girls are looking forward to what will be their final match of the tournament.
“Yeah we definitely are,” she said.
“It’s been good to see it (the women’s competition) grow bigger this year and see women across all teams improve from last year. We are looking forward to next year.”
The Woolpack Jets, perhaps the form team of the competition, face off against the Tumbarumba Greens, who are coming off a big victory, in the third game.
The Jets are primed for the clash and are expecting a tough contest.
“Looking good in preparation,” Billy Bridgeman said.
“Watching them play, we’re gonna have the same approach as the last couple of weeks. “Tumba are usually pretty physical in the middle so we’ll be looking to use our speed to our advantage.”
The Commercial Sharks play the Tumbarumba Greens in the fourth match-up.
Greens captain-coach Maddy McPherson felt that her side put in a good effort in the loss to Gundagai last week.
“Friday night was a better match compared to the week in Adelong,” she said.
“We still didn’t get the win but was great to be able to get a few points on the board so definitely an improvement from the first match against Gundagai. The girls worked better moving the ball around the field last week which saw those two tries being scored. A couple of our girls helped out Tumut before our match which saw Tumut be able to field a side on the night so it’s good to even have that opportunity so the game can still be played even if it means a scratch match for the girls involved.”
“It will be the girls’ last game this Friday night in Tumut against Tumut girls but the comp’s been great and the opportunity to give those who love tackle a go is good.”
The night’s final match sees the Bowlie Bears take on the Adelong Green and Gold.
“We are hoping to keep the run going and get another win,” Bears coach Jack Dean said. “Adelong have been in form so should be another good test for us.”
The Bears won’t be at full strength.
“We’ve got a couple sitting out this week,” Dean said.
“Concentrating or utilising our edges a bit more be a good match to fine tune our one-per centers.”
