IF you ask Bathurst Bushrangers coach Tony Fisher exactly what it was that helped his under 18s side clinch this year’s Central West AFL title, the answer isn’t quite as odd as it sounds.

“Sticky hands at the back,” Fisher offered after Saturday’s victory. “It was fantastic.”

The Bushrangers knocked off under 18s minor premiers Orange 8-12-60 to 7-10-52, withstanding a final term barrage from the Tim Barry-led Tigers thanks largely to some highlight reel worthy over-head marking from Bushrangers half-back Robert O’Hara and those “sticky hands”.

Twice O’Hara appeared from nowhere to claim huge contested marks for his Bushrangers in the final term.

And the occasion of each contest win wasn’t lost on Fisher, who also backed up to be part of the victorious Bushrangers side in the CWAFL reserve grade grand final at Country Club Oval on Saturday.

“Awesome, Robert O’Hara,” Fisher continued.

“It was just as expected, it was always going to be close. There wasn’t a favourite.

“We didn’t play our best football today, we had to show a bit of character. We had more scoring opportunities than Orange, which was fantastic. 

“We just kept the pressure on and sometimes we converted. Every time they got inside 50 big Caleb [Campbell] took the mark and kicked the goal.”

As he’d been all season, Campbell was the target up front for the Tigers.

And in booting the game’s first goal, the big full forward’s dominance in the under 18s looked likely to continue.

His feats in front of goal directly related to the Tigers’ 3-2-20 to 2-5-17 lead over the Bushrangers at the first change.

The even nature of the contest continued throughout the second half, but it was Bathurst who entered the major break with their noses in front by five points.

In the third the same target the Tigers leant on in the first quarter was thwarted by the Bushrangers’ defence.

Campbell was handled brilliantly by coach Fisher, with the Bushrangers mentor handing the assignment of containing the Tigers biggest threat in front of goal to his best player, Daniel Donato.

It proved a masterstroke.

And it also handed the Bushrangers a thrilling eight-point victory, those sticky hands from O’Hara helping as well.

“It was great that we won last year, it was very special, but this just feels a bit more special now, particularly for some of our older boys for who this is their last 18s [match],” Fisher said.

Tigers coach Barry said his side was probably guilty of inconsistency throughout the final.

“We were probably a little bit startled at the start, I think we weathered the storm alright, but in that second and third quarter we missed out on a few opportunities going forward and in a grand final you have to take them,” Barry said.

“We looked alright there for a while and had the momentum, but they had a couple of good guys that took some good marks and steadied the ship for them a bit.”

Bushranger Tim Thomas was awarded best on ground.

BATHURST BUSHRANGERS 8-12-60 (Adam Hildebrandt 3, Jacob Davey 2, Michael Waldren, Brae Roebuck, Michael Long) defeated ORANGE TIGERS 7-10-52 (Tyson Hannus 2, Caleb Campbell 2, Bailey Hilder, Luke Rothnie, Vaughan Higgins)