Zac Nigro, a West Tamworth junior, arrived at North Tamworth this season to escape the fallout from the Lions’ implosion, like a post-apocalyptic survivor.
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Colby La-Chiusa, a West Tamworth junior, arrived at North Tamworth this season scented with the sweet aroma of Pirates’ second straight premiership.
On Sunday at Jack Woolaston Oval, Nigro, 21, and La-Chiusa, 22, will start on the left wing and the right wing, respectively, when Norths play Gunnedah in the qualifying final.
After starting 2018 in reserve grade and being used off the bench in first grade, Nigro cemented a top-grade spot by scoring four tries in the Bears’ past two matches, showing good pace and finishing prowess.
La-Chiusa started the season at fullback and has scored nine tries in 12 matches.
Nigro has so impressed that he kept the experienced Dan Boland, who has returned from injury, out of the starting side. “I’ve played the best footy that I think I’ve played in a long time,” Nigro said, adding: “I’m enjoying playing football – it’s so good.”
He can’t say the same thing about last season at South West Robins, when he was a remnant of the rebranded club that formed following West Lions’ 2016 grand final shame. After playing at lock in that grand final, he endured a horrid 2017 with South West as they were routinely flogged.
“There was no commitment from people [at the Robins],” he said, adding: “I was definitely there for the love of it. But I’ve known all the boys here at the Bears for a number of years now and I just thought it was time to chuck on the black and red.”
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While Nigro approached North Tamworth to play for the reigning four-time premiers, Bears captain-coach Scott Blanch approached La-Chiusa, who now has a chance of winning premierships with two of the region’s best teams across two codes.
La-Chiusa said it was the dominance of Pirates and Norths’ forwards that was the most striking similarity between the sides. And after a settling in period this year, he is “starting to really enjoy it”.
“It was a bit different going back to league because the game is so different [from rugby],” he said. “But I eventually picked it up. Scotty Blanch helped me out a fair bit. He’s a good leader of the club … I’m keen for the finals.”
Blanch said Nigro and La-Chiusa were good finishers, but added: “They need to get in and do the tough stuff during the finals.”
NORTH TAMWORTH: 1 Chris Hunt, 2 Colby La-Chiusa, 3 Richard Clegg, 4 Tristram Morris, 5 Zac Nigro, 6 Scott Blanch (captain-coach), 7 Kieran Fisher, 8 James Cooper, 9 Ryan Ingram, 10 Shane Wadwell, 11 Brad Marshall, 12 Jake McManus, 13 Nick Dobson, 14 Mitch Sheridan, 15 Jack Patterson, 16 Ben Jarvis, 17 Bill Jeffrey, 18 Dan Boland.
GUNNEDAH: 1 Dylan Lake, 2 Lachlan King, 3 Aaron Donnelly, 4 Reece Jaeger, 5 Nic Altmann, 6 David Smith, 7 Matt Brady, 8 Kye Conlan, 9 Callum Hayne, 10 KC Edmonds, 11 Hayden Jaeger, 12 Sam Lumby, 13 Hayden Smith, 14 Steven Taylor, 15 Blake McIlveen, 16 Adam Mooney, 17 Rod Lawlor, 18 Lincon Smith, 19 Ben Gardner. Coach: Sean Hayne.
Game time: 2.45pm.
Lower grades: 10am – Ladies league tag tier two: Boggabri v South West Robins; 11am – ladies league tag tier one: Kootingal v Barraba; 12 noon – Under-18: Boggabri v North Tamworth; 1.15pm - second grade: North Tamworth v South West Robins.
