AMAZING - it was a word that Mudgee coach Jason Brown could not help but use on Saturday after watching his players pull off a shock 36-19 win over CSU in the North Cup preliminary final.
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Having gone through the regular season undefeated and having won every game they'd played against Mudgee since re-joining the competition, CSU was the hot favourite to take out the grand final qualifier at University Oval.
When star flyhalf Steph Doyle scored after 67 seconds it looked even better for CSU - a team which had beaten Mudgee 52-19 and 43-22 already in 2021.
But Mudgee then found something special. Lead by a superb performance from their forward pack which dominated at the breakdown and forced turnover after turnover, the Wombats came from behind to post the unlikely win.
"It was absolutely amazing, I don't know where it came from but they were just sensational, they tackled their hearts out, they owned it for each other," Brown said.
"We spoke about it all week at training and it's just been amazing.
"I think they really wanted it, we went down in the grand final last year and we're looking to go one better. Absolutely they like the underdog tag.
"Their improvement since the start of the season has just been phenomenal, they've really put in the hard work and it's paying off now."
While Mudgee now goes on to face Narromine in the grand final, for CSU it will be about reflecting on a campaign that promised so much by ultimately left them in third place after consecutive defeats in finals.
Coach Peter Plunkett admitted his side just didn't match the intensity and desire of Mudgee - the team CSU defeated in last year's grand final.
"They wanted it more than us basically, I think that's what it came down to," he said.
"They were very strong at the breakdown and I think won most of their possession off the ground. I think it rattled us.
"I does hurt and I feel sorry for the girls because they had such a good year, but that's the difference between round football and finals football isn't it? The intensity comes with it and we just didn't raise to that level."
Doyle, who was one of CSU's best this season, struck the first blow of the preliminary final, but that did not rattle Mudgee and off the back of some strong runs from scrumhalf Lala Lautaimi, they drove inside the host's 22.
The Wombats then spread the ball to Billy Hoole on the left wing and she dashed over the line. Keeghan Tucker converted to put the visitors up 7-5.
It was a lead Mudgee extended when, off the back of an attacking line-out and maul, Helen Blackmore peeled off down the blindside to score.
The pressure on CSU was intense as the Wombats continued to force turnovers, but three minutes out from half-time the students responded. A sweeping back line move created an overlap, Doyle delivered the ball to Liv Jackson and she ran away to score under the sticks.
That locked it up at 12-all at the break and when Jackson scored her second after a barnstorming run from Caitlin James, CSU hit the lead.
But Lautaimi scored with 10 to go to get her side within two points then, following an attacking scrum, Kylie Campbell made a 35 metre run to the line which gave the Wombats the lead.
Two more tries followed in quick succession, Georgia Ward and Tucker icing a brilliant Mudgee performance.
"We just couldn't get away from them, we scored first and then we fought back, but we just couldn't make the double break of scoring two tries in a row when we needed to," Plunkett said.
"At the end, credit to them, they played really hard and tough footy today. I think they'll go alright against Narromine."
MUDGEE WOMBATS 36 (Billy Hoole, Helen Blackmore, Kylie Campbell, Georgia Ward, Lala Lautaimi, Keeghan Tucker tries; Keeghan Tucker 3 conversions) defeated CSU 19 (Olivia Jackson 2, Steph Doyle tries; Maddy Reilly 2 conversions)
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