While the rest of his Port City Breakers teammates were celebrating a late try in the Group Three Rugby League grand final, Owen Blair was lifting his little brother and Macleay Valley Mustangs player Stephan Blair off the ground.
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Stephan had sprinted across the field and attempted a cover tackle on Breakers back rower Chris Piper a metre out from his own tryline.
Stephan was unsuccessful and was left lying on the ground in disappointment as the Breakers extended their lead to 28-14 with 13-minutes remaining in the contest.
With Port City players running passed Stephan in euphoria, Owen stopped and consoled his brother.
“I just thought he had tried his hardest to make a near impossible tackle and could see he looked angry at himself for missing it,” Owen told the Argus.
“I picked him up and said hold your head up high, play your own game and you’re doing well.”
It was a touching moment for spectators, watching on as the 21-year-old Owen put the love for his brother above the success of a grand final.
Minutes after hearing the words of encouragement from his brother, Stephan shrugged off three defenders and ran 30 metres to score in the corner.
He then slotted the resulting sideline conversion to set up an exciting finish.
The Breakers held on for a 28-20 victory and Owen immediately looked for his brother after hearing the final whistle.
“I ran over to him, shook his hand, said he played well and told him I loved him,” Owen said.
“Stephan and the Mustangs are still winners in my eyes, they played great and gave us a scare at the end but fell short.
“They should all be proud of their efforts.”
Owen and Stephan were close brothers growing up and spent their childhood playing touch footy in the front yard of their South West Rocks home.
They went on to play alongside each other in junior rugby league sides and they led the South West Rocks Marlins to a premiership in 2015.
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