Mead Park will be the venue for a huge day of rugby league in Glen Innes on Sunday, when the Glen Innes Magpies will have four sides searching for grand final berths in the rugby league preliminary finals.
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Glen Innes were the only team in Group 19 to have all four teams represented in the semi-finals in 2014.
The club will be looking to rebound from a disappointing day in Moree last Sunday for the major semi-finals.
All three sides in the major semi-finals went down, but will get another chance at a grand final spot this weekend.
The Magpie reserves were the lone bright spot for the club last weekend after they put in a tremendous performance to knock off 32-20 Goondiwindi in the minor semi-final at Inverell.
Glen Innes went in underdogs after going down to Goondiwindi both times the two sides met during the home and away season.
Front rowers Rodney Roberts and Cameron Hollis were outstanding for the Magpies with tireless displays.
Hooker Aaron Jones was influential from dummy half and lock James Winter put on another trademark defensive masterclass.
Halves Will Newberry and Nick Lehman directed play well and centres Travis Patterson and Ace Hollis also had strong games.
The ladies league-tag started their major semi-final strongly against Uralla and led 4-nil early and 8-6 later on, but Uralla came home stronger in the second half for a 16-8 win.
Fiona Williamson and Kayla Williams scored the two tries for the Magpies and were the standouts in attack throughout the match, while Emily McMeniman was tremendous in defence.
Glen Innes and Uralla continued their ever growing rivalry in the under 18s, but again it was the Tigers who came out on top 24-18.
The Magpies were trailing 16-6 at the break, but stormed back to reclaim an 18-16 lead in the second half.
Errors than began to creep into the Magpies’ game and the Tigers took full advantage to score two late tries to win 24-18.
Brayden Gallagher was again outstanding for the Magpies at prop as was replacement forward Jayden Field until he suffered a sickening eye injury and was carted from the field.
The Magpie first grade side was completely blown out of the water by an electric Boomerangs side in the main fixture.
Moree scored six tries in each half to run out winners 72-28 and earn a second successive home grand final.
Down 36-10 at half time, the Magpies made things interesting with the first two tries in the second half to bring the deficit back to 14, but Moree ran away with it late in the second half.
The Magpies were again devastated by injury.
They lost lock Adam Upton in the first minute of the game after a head knock and five-eighth Nick Ehsman and prop Mone Loketi also suffered first half injuries.
Magpies’ first grade coach Sam Key and club president Pat Lonergan are both encouraging the community to get behind the Magpies on Sunday as they search to get four sides in the Group 19 grand finals.
“It would be nice to get a good showing for the last home game of the year,” Key said.
“It’s a pretty impressive achievement to have four grades still playing at this time of year.”
Lonergan said Sunday would be a huge day for the club.
“We are hoping for a massive crowd to get over there and help get all of our sides in the grand finals,” he said.
“All of the games are expected to be pretty close, so hopefully a big home crowd can help get us home.”
The ladies league-tag get the day underway at 10.30am when they take on Ashford, followed by the juniors fixture against Goondiwindi, reserve grade against Inverell and first grade also against Inverell.
