The star-studded line up of the Kempsey Dunghutti Bloodlines fell in the third round of the Koori Knockout on the weekend, but coach Amos Roberts still labelled the weekend as a “massive success”.
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The Bloodlines had a tough draw and were forced to battle one of the premier sides in the opening round. However, they rose to the occasion and earned a 12-4 win over the Walgett Aboriginal Connection to advance.
Kempsey’s second round opponent was just as tough but they were able to overcome the Castlereagh All Blacks 10-6 in a tight contest.
However, the Bloodlines’ run came to an end when they suffered a 12-6 defeat at the hands of the La Perouse Panthers, who went on to lose 19-18 in a nail-biting grand final against the Newcastle All Blacks.
Amos was disappointed the team wasn’t able to reach the Monday, and compete in the semi-finals, but is excited for the future.
“It was there to be won, we tried really hard but some things just didn’t go our way in the game against the Panthers," Amos told the Argus.
“It was a tough game, they were really experienced around the ruck and they got on the front foot.
“It shows we were capable of winning the Koori Knockout though, as the Panthers went on to finish second.”
Despite bowing out in the third round, Amos was proud to be a part of uniting the Kempsey community.
“It was still a massive success, we have been trying really hard to get all of the talent from Kempsey to combine to make one team and we did that this year,” the former Sydney Roosters star said.
“We faced some tough opposition and knocked them off early but the physicality of those two games took their toll in the third.
The Bloodlines featured NRL stars James Roberts and Jesse Ramien and Amos watched on as they passed on vital information and experience to their younger teammates.
“James and Jesse taught their teammates about the preparation side of it all, what it takes to prepare and keep their bodies fresh,” Amos said.
“They also spoke about their experiences of playing rugby league at the top level.”
Amos expects the majority of the star players to return for the Kemspey Dunghutti Bloodlines in 2019.
“We all got together after the game and collectively said we would like to continue on from what we built this year,” Amos said.
“We want to win the Koori Knockout and bring the trophy to Kempsey.”
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