Bush Beat: Terry Campese breaks 15-year title drought with Queanbeyan Blues

TERRY Campese breaks 15-year title drought, Danny Wicks on Group 2 title and walking away from Eels and more

Terry Campese has ended his premiership drought with the Queanbeyan Blues.

IT has taken 15 years, but former Canberra five-eighth Terry Campese has ended his premiership drought with the Queanbeyan Blues.

Inspired by a man-of-the-match performance from Campese, the Blues claimed the Canberra Raiders Cup with a hard-fought 13-6 win over the Queanbeyan Kangaroos last Sunday.

The victory capped off a dream season for Campese, who joined his junior club after a two-year stint with Hull in the English Super League.

Queanbeyan Kangaroos didn’t get the result, but they can hold their heads high.

The Kangaroos were right in the contest and did their best to send out retiring captain-coach Aaron Gorrell out a winner.

The former Dragons and Broncos hooker will hang up his boots after 20-plus years in the game.

DANNY JOY OVER PARRA’S SUCCESS

DANNY Wicks has revealed the real reason he struggled to walk away from Parramatta last season to return home and play for the Grafton Ghosts.

“Because I knew the boys would have success this year,” Wicks told The Sunday Telegraph.

“You could see it. There was a feel in the club and that was a hard thing to leave behind.”

Wicks credits Parramatta’s resurrection after the salary cap scandal to coach Brad Arthur.

“I know the passion and love that Brad has got for Parra,” he said.

Danny Wicks on the charge for the Eels last year. Picture: Peter Wallis

“The bloke is up at 4am in the morning doing video and he is at training 6.30am.

“When you get all his support staff and everyone has dedicated as what he is, there is going to be results.

“Every time I hear that Parra are going well it gives me a little bit of a tingling feeling, because I know how much the boy’s want it and I really hope they get to the grand final.

“It hurts me that I had to go, but it’s something I had to do for myself.”

Wicks may be envious of the Eels’ surge to the finals, but he couldn’t be happier with his move home to Grafton.

On Sunday, the ex-Eel guided the Ghosts to the Group 2 premiership with an emphatic 32-12 victory over local rivals South Grafton.

Danny Wicks guided the Ghosts to the Group 2 premiership.

It was Wicks’ first title since he won the under-18s with Grafton in 2002.

More significantly, the Ghosts went through the season undefeated and are favourites to claim the prestigious Clayton Cup — which is awarded to the country team with the best overall record for the season.

GROUP 10: Orange CYMS will be shooting for their fifth premiership in eight years under the tenure of captain-coach Michael Sullivan when they take on Oberon in Sunday’s grand final.

CYMS will host the decider at Wade Park against the Tigers after they defeated Bathurst Panthers in last weekend’s semi-final.

Sullivan is confident his side can beat Oberon and make amends for last year’s 14-10 grand final loss to Mudgee.

“The main thing is we get the result,” said Sullivan, the former Northern Eagles, Cronulla and Canterbury hooker.

“We’ve won four premierships, so we are hoping to make it five out of seven if we can.”