Tom Groth has spoken about his “pride” in winning a third Australian Country Championships with NSW and making a third team of the championships.
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Having appeared in his 10th consecutive nationals, the South Tamworth veteran said he would make a decision in the off-season on whether he would attempt NSW Country selection again.
However the silky smooth gloveman admitted that it would be hard to walk away when he was still good enough to make the side.
The Bush Blues claimed the title on Saturday by crushing South Australia in the final round in Geraldton and then watching Queensland down Victoria.
South Australia were dismissed for 95. The Bush Blues passed the target in the 21st over, having lost four wickets, to claim double points.
Victoria finished second and Queensland third.
Groth was one of four NSW Country players to make the team of the championships – or the merit team. The others are Joe Price, Caleb Ziebell and Cameron Suidgeest.
Celebrating the win with Groth was his South Tamworth teammate, Tom O’Neill, who won his first title, and the Bush Blues’ Tamworth-based coach Jeff Cook
Groth said a side needed “everything to fall into place” to reign supreme. And he described that happening for NSW Country as “very satisfying”.
“We came close [to winning] the last couple of years but just weren’t good enough,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier with the win.”
Groth said a key element of the Bush Blues’ triumph was their strong bond. And while the side had possessed “a lot of talent”, that alone did not win championships.
He said: “I always said right from the start of the carnival it was going to come down to the last game and we have to hang in there and play our best for 10 days … we probably saved our best for the last game.”
