THIS year’s Tooheys New Group 2 Rugby League first grade season has been one of the closest seen in years.

With finals getting underway before lockdown, we look back on the home and away season and how each club’s teams have fared.

Grafton Ghosts: The 2019 premiers continued their excellent form in 2021, winning this year’s first grade minor premiership with 10 wins from 15 games.

The Ghosts Ladies League Tag team are also a premiership contender having finished in third spot.

Coffs Harbour Comets: It was truly a season of two contrasting halves for the Comets in 2021.

After starting the season at 1-4 and languishing last on the ladder, the Comets turned their season around with a seven-game winning run helping them finish second on the first grade ladder.

The Comets Ladies League Tag side was arguably the best in any Group 2 competition, putting together a magnificent undefeated season as a dominant minor premier.

The Comets reserve grade side also remain in premiership contention having won their recent elimination semi-final.

Macksville Sea Eagles: An up and down season for the Sea Eagles reflected in the fact they started the season with four straight wins followed by five straight losses, and then winning four of their last six matches of the season to finish third on the first grade ladder.

The clubs under 18’s produced a strong season finishing as minor premiers, while their reserves finished third.

South Grafton Rebels: The dark horse of the first grade competition.

The Rebels have taken some big scalps this year including all the top 3 teams and the Sea Eagles in two of their three meetings.

The Rebels also won this year’s reserve grade minor premiership with 9 wins and 3 draws from 15 games.

Bellingen Valley/Dorrigo Magpies: The big improvers of the 2021 season.

After just one win in 2019, the Magpies finished this year’s first-grade season with 6 wins and a finals berth.

The Magpies’ Ladies League Tag remain the biggest premiership threat to the Comets after finishing second on the ladder and losing by 4 and 2 points in two of their meetings this season.

Woolgoolga Seahorses: An enigma of season 2021.

Their best saw them beat three of the top four teams including the minor premiers by a point, but couldn’t reproduce this week to week with lack of consistency their downfall.

Fared a lot better in the reserves with the Seahorses finishing in second spot.

 

By Aiden BURGESS