The Hunter River Times

BY ALEX TIGANI

The top three sides of the Group 21 first grade table will playoff against the bottom three over the next three days.

However these will not be three one sided affairs.

The Denman Devils will hope to break back into the top two when playing host to the Aberdeen Tigers this evening.

The Devils bounced back from their 26-12 defeat to Greta Branxton with a 36-36 draw against Scone in Sunday’s grand final rematch.

Take nothing away from the Tigers though.

They proved gallant in defeat to Singleton on Sunday, down to eleven men for a majority of the clash.

Brady Hammond’s undefeated Greta Branxton line-up will play host to the winless Scone this Saturday in a first vs. fifth clash that many still predict to be the grand final preview for season 2023.

Then all roads lead to Singleton on Sunday as the Greyhounds aim for three straight wins following an upset 32-8 triumph over Scone and a hard fought 32-16 victory against Aberdeen.

Singleton Greyhounds’ captain Blake Andrews, who returns from a five-year stint with the Cessnock Goannas, says he wants to bring some joy back to his town through the side’s success.

“The Scone win was a tough game, we always know what Scone is going to be like because they are a tough defensive team and have been up the top for a few years now,” Andrews told The Hunter River Times on Wednesday.

“We went up there with a defensive resolve and we challenged the boys off the first week to deliver in our defence and we did that.

“Against Aberdeen in patches we did that and in patches we were still a bit rusty.”

The Greyhounds will now aim for their first win against the Muswellbrook Rams since their 40-6 triumph in Round 10, 2021.

“The Rams have a few players I used to play against like Cade Boney and those sorts of guys,” Andrews added.

“They are always going to be tough so another home game, we need to dig deep because we can’t let our fans down again.”

The two sides currently hold the longest first grade premiership droughts. The Rams last tasted premiership glory in 2004 while the Greyhounds have not returned to the dais since 2012.

“It is a childhood dream, you can see no matter if we are winning or losing we attract a big crowd and a premiership is something I strive to achieve this year,” he concluded.

GROUP 21 FIRST GRADE FIXTURE
Round 4
Friday, May 5	7:20pm – Denman Devils vs. Aberdeen Tigers (Denman Oval)
Saturday, May 6	3pm – Greta Branxton Colts vs. Scone Thoroughbreds (Greta Central Oval)
Sunday, May 7	1:50pm – Singleton Greyhounds vs. Muswellbrook Rams (Jefferson Park)
Round 5
Saturday, May 13	3:20pm – Muswellbrook Rams vs. Denman Devils (Denman Oval)
Sunday, May 14	1:50pm – Singleton Greyhounds vs. Greta Branxton Colts (Greta Central Oval)
	1:50pm – Scone Thoroughbreds vs. Aberdeen Tigers (Scone Park)