BIG effort, big metres, big minutes, big impact and a very big reward.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Bathurst Panthers' Tallis Tobin was named best on ground in Saturday's under 16s Group 10 Junior Rugby League grand final for his inspirational effort in the front row against Bloomfield Tigers.
Just as the amount of post-contact metres he made in the semi-final win against St Pat's a week earlier were critical, so too were his barnstorming runs against Bloomfield in the decider at Jack Arrow Oval.
The energy he put into his hit-ups helped Panthers get out of their half when Bloomfield pressured, they drove his side closer to the try line and they certainly inspired.
Often he took multiple carries in a set and while there were times Tobin was sucking in the air after an effort, he stayed on the field and he'd back up his offensive runs with some big hits in defence.
He was rewarded for hitting the line hard with a try in the first half, but after full-time came even bigger moments.
He got to celebrate a grand final success with a bunch of mates he has played with since under 10s and he was named best on ground.
"It feels awesome, it's been a long time, we've been put away the last couple of years in the grand final, so it feels awesome to win my last junior game," he said.
"To win with these guys is awesome, there'e no better bunch of guys to do it.
"Best on ground, yeah, it's awesome, it's the best feeling in the world I think."
While Panthers scored the first three tries of the contest and ultimately emerged 34-10 winners, Tobin admitted he was concerned when Bloomfield lifted in the second quarter.
He responded by getting the ball in hand and charging at the Tigers' defence. The effort told, but Tobin kept working until the final whistle.
"I was very nervous, bloody nervous, they were on fire for a bit there. But we defended well and put them away," he said. "There was not much left in the tank at all, I was just counting the seconds down I think."
While he is unsure what next season will bring, Tobin hopes his Panthers mates will join him in the under 18s ranks.
