North Ward keep their cool to squeeze out a victory
THEY have blown teams off the park, and have gone toeto-toe with the competition heavyweights.
Now North Ward can add victory in tight tussles to their season resume in their bid for a maiden Townsville and District Rugby Union premiership.
The Old Boys were forced to work against LARCS in the 31-28 battle, a try with 17 seconds left on the clock met with joy by the navy-clad men.
North Ward captain Dan Withers joined the club in 2005, the first time the club had made it to the A-grade grand final.
And he said 2020 had presented him with the best side they have had since then.
“The boys are putting in and showing some character for the jersey – they’re just loving playing footy after a disrupted year,” Withers said.
“There was an intercept with about eight minutes on the clock that probably could have sealed our fate, but we rallied the troops.
“We had the chance to kick a penalty goal, but in the breezy conditions we decided to tap it and have a crack.
“I’ve played in many of those games where you haven’t played your best and sit in the shed wondering what happened, so it was good to be on the right side of the scoreboard.” It’s been a club effort with 39 players pulling on the A-grade jersey.
That depth was tested with fly-half Sam Bradley on the sidelines, however former NRL star Josh Hoffman has joined their ranks.
A 189-game veteran with the Broncos, Titans and Parramatta Eels, the 32-year-old has returned to the code he played throughout his teens before signing on with the Redcliffe Dolphins.