Lithgow Workies defied a slow start and a rare grand final send off to complete a memorable Group 10 first division decider victory on Sunday against hosts Bathurst Panthers.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Played in front of a building crowd at Carrington Park, Workies stormed to a 38-16 victory despite winger John Nankervis receiving his marching orders with 25 minutes to go.
The send off seemed to steel the Workies side, though, and instead of faltering the minor premiers galvanised to score two tries within five minutes of each other while down to 12 men and seal the title, the club's second Group 10 first division premiership in the last three years.
In fact, Workies scored 34 unanswered points after the mountain men's uncharacteristically slow start allowed Panthers to score the first two tries of the grand final.
Stuart Peel and Andrew Bennett got on the board early for the men in black but those early four-pointers proved only a flash in the pan, with Mike Wicks' consolation try in the 65th minute coming 43 minutes after Panthers raced to that 10-0 lead.
Flexing their muscle with the game on the line, Brent Brogan bagged a grand final brace while Scott McMann, Nick Miller, 2019 Group 10 first division player of the year Jake Gale, Conner Legge and the evergreen Brendan Van Veen all scored four pointers in what was a commanding showing from Lithgow.
- LITHGOW WORKIES 38 (Brent Brogan 2, Scott McMann, Nick Miller, Jake Gale, Conner Legge, Brendan Van Veen tries; Hayden Cornwell 3, Lleyton Lothian 2 goals) def BATHRUST PANTHERS 16 (Mike Wicks, Stuart Peel, Andrew Bennett tries; Braydon Wicks 2 goals)
Do you love local news? Subscribe here to get full access to the website.