The Redbacks Under 12s side took out the 2017 Premiership with a heart stopping game against the Goulburn Chiefs. Out of their four previous clashes the Redbacks and Chiefs were two wins each. 

From the kick-off the Chiefs immediately gained possession and controlled the ball well, as they grafted towards the Redbacks try line. Stoic defence kept the Chiefs scoreless for the first 10 minutes until a handling error was pounced on by the Redbacks. Some strong rucking from James Flack and Josh Clark set up the play before the ball was passed out the backline to champion Centre, Danny Riley who weaved and palmed 75 metres through the Chiefs’ defence to score under the posts for the first try of the game. Conversion successful – Redbacks 7-nil.

This became the pattern of the game: sustained pressure by the Chiefs, matched with stoic defence by the Redbacks, especially Alice Tooth and Sammy Watson, followed by a mistake from the Chiefs. By half-time the score was 17-14 to the Chiefs.

The second half was a carbon copy of the first, as the Chiefs set up their base camp on Braidwood’s try line. Every Redback player tackled strongly and pressured the opposition - Harrison Wall and Lachie Hindmarsh in the middle, Arna Dixon and Chloe Shoemark out wide.

Despite the relentless pressure, the Redbacks held the Chiefs scoreless in the second half until the dying minutes. Through sheer weight of possession the Chiefs finally went over in the corner 90 seconds until full-time. Conversion was successful, leaving the Chiefs at 24, the Redbacks at 21.

With the game all but gone, the Redbacks had to regain the ball from the kick-off. Captain Robbie Watson, put in a short kick which was regathered by Abe Riley, who set up the ruck close to the eastern touchline. In a blur of excitement, the Redback forwards cleaned out better than they had all season, and in a crisp backline move that went from halfback Fergus Tooth, through Leroy Campbell-Davys and Robbie Watson, the ball found the hands of the Chiefs’ worst nightmare: Danny Riley.

With a clear run to the far corner, Danny pinned back his ears and crossed the line right on the final whistle. The Redbacks won the 2017 premiership 28-24 victory in an absolute show stopper!