Bears deliver reunion win in heritage Hoppers colours

Best: Lachlan Phillips, James Lyall., Tyler Greene, Benjamin Beaton, Ned Mckeown.

It was a special day at the Bear Pit on Saturday as the club welcomed back past players for the reunion, with the Bears proudly running out in the heritage green and gold Hoppers jumpers.

The boys looked determined to put on a show for the blokes who once wore the same numbers, and from the opening bounce they certainly didn’t disappoint.

Tungamah came out firing with a high-pressure, tackling-focused game that the group has been working tirelessly on at training.

Early efforts from Tyler Greene, Josh Cheek and Drew Haebich set the tone, with the Bears attacking the contest and refusing to give Deni any easy possessions.

The return of past captain Gus Ford was a welcome sight around the club, and it is fair to say you couldn’t wipe the smile off coach Luke’s face all day.

Another reason for that grin was the return of Brush Haebich, whose presence had certainly been missed over the past few weeks.

Despite the muddy conditions, the skills on display were something to write home about.

The boys were incredibly clean by hand and foot, consistently finding targets and moving the ball with precision in conditions that made life difficult for everyone.

As always, when the game needed lifting, the Lyall brothers were there to provide it.

Their tackling pressure was relentless, charging at contests like bulls out of a gate and setting the standard for their teammates.

The Bears took a handy 25-point advantage into the main break, but Deniliquin were not about to roll over.

The visitors threw everything they had at Tungamah in the second half, however, the backline stood tall.

Glenn Dominick, Jye Holcomb and Lach Phillips were outstanding in defence, continually repelling attacks and holding their ground under pressure.

Lach, in particular, continues to go from strength to strength and has become such an important pillar of the Bears’ back six.

An emergency call-up proved a masterstroke, with Jack Clarke showing exactly why he earned his opportunity.

Clarke capped off a terrific effort with a clever goal off the ground that had the crowd on its feet.

Up forward, playing coach Ned McKeown led from the front once again, finishing with six majors in another dominant display.

Jacob Adkins added three goals, while Brush Haebich chipped in with two.

Singles came from Gus Ford, Ben Beaton, Josh Cheek and Jack Clarke.

There was one notable absentee, with Justin Saunders deciding he would rather spend the day on the sidelines alongside his 1976 reunion teammates.

Whether it was old legs or old stories keeping him busy, the readers can decide.

The final siren saw Tungamah run out 15.6 (96) to 12.10 (82) winners in another strong team performance.

Best players for the Bears were Lach Phillips, James Lyall, Tyler Greene, Ben Beaton and Ned McKeown.

Most pleasing for the coaches is not just the win itself, but the way this group is developing.

Week by week, they are seeing the rewards for the effort being put in at training, the commitment to the game plan and the trust the players are building in one another.

The hard work is starting to come to fruition, and it is creating a cohesive, selfless group of great footballers and even better blokes.

With every week, this side continues to grow, and the excitement around what this group can achieve is building right across the club.

Reserves

Tungamah 7.7 - 49 def Deni Rovers 3.5 - 23

The grand final rematch was always going to be a big one.

Throw in the reunion boys, Twos Day and enough old footballers wandering around to fill a retirement village, and it was shaping as one of the biggest home-and-away games around.

It was also refreshing to see Deni make the trip to Tungamah’s deck for once.

The roads do, in fact, run both ways.

On paper, the lunchtime legends looked elite.

Unfortunately, football is played on grass, not team sheets.

A few blokes spotted a bit of rain on the weather app and disappeared quicker than a tradie when the broom comes out.

The boys started well, controlling possession and setting the game up exactly how they wanted.

Cam came out hot, then disappeared just as quickly, looking likely to kick double figures before quarter time before managing just one more major for the afternoon.

The return of Gambi as runner was a highlight for absolutely nobody involved.

The boys can’t wait to get him back on the field and permanently hidden in a back pocket, because with the pink vest on, no one was safe from an unsolicited ear massage.

The bloke covered more ground than a rumour in a country town and talked even more.

The highlight of the day belonged to Playa.The big fella took a beautiful intercept mark 30 metres out, directly in front of the opposition goals.

In conditions where there had been enough rain to float a houseboat, he then took three steps and attempted a bounce.

The football immediately reminded him that physics still exists.

Old Luke and Seth were continually repelling Deni attacks and making life difficult for the opposition forwards.

As the Rovers boys started closing the gap before half time, Patches could no longer sit back and watch.

Like every great ex-coach, he inserted himself directly into proceedings and sent young Lukey forward.

The move immediately paid off with two goals.

Patches is currently claiming two coaching victories for the day, and Goudie might want to keep an eye on his cattle because the Twos are reportedly preparing an offer for him to stay.

After being robbed of a best-player mention last week despite having 44 touches, Jack Connel decided he needed a different approach.

The footy was still there, but this week he supplemented it with a healthy serving of lip.

While he is very good at running the ball out from stoppages, he is even better at running his mouth.

The Hayes boys continue to prove they are football’s version of a crockpot.

It doesn’t seem to matter what gets thrown at it, somehow the result is always quality.

A solid win, a good crowd and a reminder that, while football might have changed over the years, old blokes still love telling stories that get better every time they are told.

Goals: C. Nye 4, L. O'Brien 2, J. Saunders.

Best: L. O'Brien, L. Wallace, S. Haebichs, J. Saunders, A. Connell, B. Hayes.

Thirds

Tungamah 6.5 - 41 def by Deni Rovers 11.9 - 75.

An overcast day met Tungamah for a home game against Deniliquin, with the side back to full strength.

The Deni boys started hard and fast, taking an 11-point lead by the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Tunga boys settled a bit more and started to play their style of football, with the quarter going goal for goal and Deni holding a two-goal lead at half time.

In the third quarter, both teams displayed a hard and physical style of football, with some great ball movement from both sides.

Tungamah just couldn’t get back that two-goal lead Deni had held over them for the whole game.

Tungamah started the fourth quarter well, showing their true fighting spirit, however, the Deniliquin team were just too good and finished the game with a 34-point win.

It is a credit to the playing group, who fought to the end and are definitely heading in the right direction.

Awards: Doyle’s Socks - Xavier Chessells, Bamford Builders - Brody Krywyn, Central Murray Bank - Jett Bamford.

Tungamah Shop - Finn Watson, Intersport Wingates - Dean Meyers.

Goals: T. Ussher 3, Z. Bramich, T. O’More, B. Doyle.

Best: J. Bamford, B. Doyle, B. Krywyn, D. Meyers, S. Goudie, X. Chessells.

Fourths

Tungamah 2.0 - 12 def by Deni Rovers 11.5 - 71.

Tungamah welcomed Deniliquin in a third-versus-fourth clash in a ladder-shaping contest.

Deni came out to play and kept driving the ball into their forward line.

Tunga’s back six were holding up under enormous pressure, however, after a while they could not hold back the onslaught and Deni began scoring at will.

At half time, the boys were eight goals down.

In the second half, the boys lifted their intensity and pressure and showed they can match it with the better teams, but Tungamah gave them far too much of a head start and went down.

Deni Rovers 11.5 - 71. def by Tungamah 2.0 - 12.

Kai Jones was thrown into the ruck and gave up plenty of size, but never gave in.

Peyton Smith and Tyler Buerckner were solid down back, doing their best to repel the opposition.

Judd Haebich tried his heart out around the ground and kicked a goal for the highlight reel from almost 50 metres on a tight angle.

Finn Cummins and Flynn Cox played multiple positions and didn’t let the side down when thrown into the backline, keeping their opposition quiet.

Awards: Tungamah Shop - Finn Cummins, Doyles Socks - Flynn Cox, Coaches Award - Judd Haebich, Thursday Dinner - Tyler Buerckner, Crusty Loaf Bakery - Peyton Smith, Intersport Wingates - Kai Jones.

Goals: J. Haebich, J. Dickins.

Best: K. Jones, P. Smith, T. Buerckner, J. Haebichs, F. Cummins, F. Cox.

Fifths

After being starved of footy for a week, the boys and girl were ready to go.

They came up against the most professional outfit in the league, Deni Rovers.

Coaches Fox and Brushy were throwing magnets around everywhere with late outs, but that didn’t matter one bit.

The game started with Tungamah on top, and they stayed that way all game.

Wiz Cooper and Ryder Hayes were unreal down forward, Marc Conell was marking everything, and Ernie, Dom and Phoenix were awesome as well.

Awards: Logan, Mason, Charie, Hunter, Kynan.

Netball

A Grade

Tungamah 41 def Deni Rovers 33.

Tungamah knew Saturday’s game would be a challenging contest when they hosted Deni Rovers.

The visitors made a strong start and took an early lead, but the Bears quickly settled into the game and worked their way to a one-goal advantage by the first break.

The second quarter was tightly contested, with both teams producing quality netball.

Strong defensive pressure right across the court helped Tungamah gain momentum and extend the lead to eight goals at half time.

Deni Rovers responded strongly after the main break, taking control early in the third quarter.

Tungamah settled, and the margin was four goals at the final change.

The Bears remained composed in the last term, settling into their structures and playing disciplined netball to pull away and secure an eight-goal victory.

Chloe E and Sophie worked tirelessly in the goal circle against quality defenders, while Keely, Maddison, Chloe L and Bella continually provided strong options through the midcourt, showing great patience in resetting play when required.

Kristie and Molly made the most of every rebound opportunity, creating valuable turnovers and continuing to apply pressure to the Deni shooters.

The positive attitude of the players and the team focus contributed to the win.

A big thank you goes to Tahnee, Mollie, Elli and Stacey for helping out the team this week.

Awards: Players’ Player - Keely Holcombe, Club Awards - Sophie Coghill and Keely Holcombe, One Zach - Chloe Elliott, Jaycees - Kristie James.

B Grade

Tungamah 55 def Deni Rovers 53.

The Bear Pit hosted a blockbuster clash on Saturday, with two undefeated sides going head-to-head, and it certainly lived up to expectations.

Tungamah came out firing, producing a strong opening quarter to establish a seven-goal lead at the first break.

Deni Rovers responded in the second term, matching the Bears in a fiercely contested quarter of netball and reducing the margin to four goals by half time.

The third quarter proved just as tight, with neither side able to gain the upper hand as the margin remained at four heading into the final term.

The last quarter showcased quality netball from both teams, with the Bears showing great composure and teamwork to hold on for a thrilling two-goal victory.

Patience in attack and the ability to reset and work the ball carefully into the ring were key factors in the win.

Lauren and Mollie continued to combine well against quality defenders, while the midcourt trio of Mariah, Stacey and Elli worked tirelessly to drive through the court and provide strong options.

In defence, Brodie, Tahnee, Amy and Billie-Jo were outstanding, creating numerous turnovers and applying relentless pressure throughout the game.

A big thank you goes to Emily and Sarah for helping out the team this week.

Awards: Players’ Player and Purtle’s - Tahnee Pearce, Hemphill’s Family - Lauren Miles, Jaycees - Mariah Duffy, Richglen - Mollie Walton.

C Grade

Tungamah 21 def by Deni Rovers 40.

On a wet and miserable day at Tungamah, the girls came up against a strong Deni side, with both teams heading into the game with just one loss for the season.

Tungamah started the game well, settling into the conditions early.

The goals were dropping and the little one-per-cent efforts were going their way.

Adelle and Amy worked hard through the midcourt, with some great pressure and timely intercepts that Tungamah were able to convert into goals.

Their efforts helped reduce the margin and work the side back to within a couple of goals.

Unfortunately, the second half slipped away from Tungamah.

To the girls’ credit, they kept a positive attitude and continued to work hard until the final whistle.

Sarah was a standout, moving between defence and attack when needed and helping steady the team during some difficult periods.

In the end, Deni’s height and pressure over the ball proved difficult to overcome, and they were able to pull away and take the win.

While the result didn’t go Tungamah’s way, there are plenty of positives to take from the game as they look ahead to next week.

Awards: Players’ Player and Jaycees - Amy Hollister, Belles - Adelle Symes, Rich Glen - Sarah Govan.

C Reserve

Tungamah 15 def by Deni Rovers 22.

Tungamah versus Deni is always a tough game.

The Bears started off with a fight.

The girls had great defensive pressure and hands over every ball.

They were able to keep up with the opposition and play their own game for the first two quarters.

Unfortunately, in the second half, things didn’t go Tungamah’s way.

They became lost in the game and were unable to connect during the third quarter, which resulted in a loss for C Reserve.

Despite this, the team kept their spirits up and continued with positive talk.

Under 17s

Tungamah 30 def by Deni Rovers 50.

On Saturday, Tungamah took on Deni and were defeated 50-30.

Despite the final margin, the game was closely contested for much of the match before Deni pulled away in the second half.

The team showed great determination throughout the game and never stopped competing.

A special mention goes to Keirz for her outstanding defensive efforts and Em for her excellent shooting performance.

Awards: Central Murray Bank - Laila, Jaycees Award - Claire, Tungamah Shop - Chloe.

Under 15s

Tungamah 33 def Deni Rovers 30.

The Bears were back on home turf and ready to take on what they knew would be tough opposition.

Asha and Ivy showed a great combination in attack, working well together all game to create space and keep their defenders guessing.

It was a four-quarter grind in defence, with Billie and Torah working hard on pressuring every feed and every goal.

The work paid off in the last quarter when Deni’s goals started to miss and the rebounds gained possession back for Tungamah to score.

The team’s determination showed from start to finish, not letting the slow start get their heads down.

The coaches were very proud of everyone.

Awards: Players’ Player and Bamford Builders - Asha Kelly, Intersport Wingates - Billie-Jo Buerckner, Opposition Pick and Rich Glen - Torah Blick, Tungamah Shop - Ivy Connell.

Under 13s

Tungamah 32 def Deni Rovers 22.

The first quarter was a tough contest, with Deniliquin Rovers taking an early lead and putting plenty of pressure on the Tungamah girls.

However, the team showed great determination, lifted together and fought hard to get themselves back into the game.

Every player gave 100 per cent effort, played their role and kept their heads up throughout the match.

The girls worked tirelessly across the court, capitalising on every opportunity to win the ball back and turn defence into attack.

It was fantastic to see the team’s resilience and willingness to work for each other.

Their determination, teamwork and positive attitude were outstanding, and they should all be very proud of their efforts.

Awards: Best-Fit - Georgie Burns, Jaycees - Sophie Henderson, Intersport Wingates - Eliza Prosser, Tungamah Shop - Taylah Chessells.

Under 11s

Tungamah were a little nervous heading into the game against Deni, but once they settled into the right mindset, they came out firing and had a convincing win.

It is always a great feeling when the hard work pays off.

The quality A Grade training on Thursday night really showed, particularly in the team’s driving and ball movement.

The biggest highlights, however, were how well everyone read the play and attacked the ball with strong, confident hands.

The team is really starting to gel, with every player contributing and playing with the determination of a wild bear.

Awards: Jayees - Demmi, Tungamah Shop - Layla, TFNC Award - Annabelle.