The late afternoon sun, a bruised orange against the horizon, cast long shadows across the manicured green of Twickenham Oval. In the crisp Tumut air, the smell of freshly cut grass mingled with the palpable tension of a season’s final chapter.
For the Junee Diesels, clad in their signature blue and gold, and the Young Cherrypickers, a sea of red and white, this wasn’t just another game. It was a clash of wills, a battle of heart, and for one team, the end of the road.
The whistle’s shriek sliced through the quiet, and the game exploded to life. The first ten minutes were a whirlwind of thunderous tackles and desperate runs. Both teams fought tooth and nail for every inch of turf.
The Cherrypickers struck first, with the nimble Jamila Piercy weaving through the Junee defence like a phantom and touching down in the corner.
Kiarna Mitchell’s boot sent the ball sailing through the uprights, a perfect arc against the fading light. But the Diesels were no strangers to adversity. They had built a reputation all season for their resilience.
Their president, David Holt, had often spoken of their spirit. “I’m extremely proud of the girls and the way they’ve conducted themselves on and off the field,” he had told the Independent in the past. “They’re a tight-knit bunch who just enjoy playing footy together.”
That spirit was on full display as they roared back. Emma Hickey, a powerhouse in the pack, refused to be denied, her powerful legs driving forward until she crashed over the line for a try. The crowd erupted, a wave of blue and gold support. The conversion was a tough kick from the sideline, and it just missed, but the momentum had shifted. The Diesels were back in it.
The second half was a bruising affair. The Cherrypickers, fuelled by their early lead, went on the offensive. Shania McKinnon used her blistering speed to break free, leaving defenders in her wake for another try. Then, just as the Diesels began to rally, the dynamic Krystal Taylor found a gap in the weary Junee line and sealed the deal with a third try for Young. But even with the scoreboard stacked against them, the Diesels never gave up.
They were a team built on heart, and their standout players, Abbey Field and Abby Foley, were a testament to that grit. Field, who had led the competition in tries with a remarkable 15, was a constant threat, and Foley, a close second, was everywhere on the field, orchestrating plays and leading the charge. They were the standard-bearers for their team, a team that had, when fully fit, dominated the competition.
“We’ve got some really talented footballers in this side,” Holt had said earlier in the season.
“The girls play with their hearts on their sleeves every week.” And they were still playing with heart now. In a final, desperate surge, Eve Slattery-Bennett clawed her way to the try line, a final act of defiance that showed the mettle of this Junee side.
As the final whistle blew, the score-board read Young Cherrypickers 16, Junee Diesels 8. The season was over. For the Cherrypickers, it was a moment of pure triumph. For the Diesels, it was a mix of pride and heartbreak. Their season had ended prematurely due to a few late-season injuries, a cruel twist of fate for a team that had promised so much. But as the girls gathered for one last huddle, their heads were held high. They had left everything on the field. They had given their community something to be proud of. They were young, mostly 16 and 17, as Holt had noted throughout the year. The future was bright. This loss wasn’t an end, but a powerful lesson, a promise of what was to come.
With a year of experience under their belts, they would be back next year, stronger, wiser, and more determined than ever. They walked off the field not as a defeated team, but as a unit forged in adversity, ready for their next chapter.
– Tully Potts
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