Casuarina Cougars win two out of five junior grand finals

The Casuarina Cougars stood tall winning two out of five junior rugby finals in a thrilling day of competition. Check out all the junior finals winners.

The Casuarina Cougars starred winning two out of the five major junior rugby titles on offer in a thrilling night of Darwin Rugby Union Juniors finals.

The Cougars took out the under-13s and under-17s boys divisions, while Palmerston claimed the under-15s, Swamp Crocs the under-17s girls and Darwin Dragons the under-14s girls.

Casuarina rocketed out of the blocks in the under-13s grand final with Dallas Robertson dotting down on the right flank in the eighth minute.

A yellow card to Luke Daniel-Knight cruelled the Crocs’ chances late in the half, despite some dominance on the ball, and Roberston crossed for his brace not long after.

Jake Park hit back early in the second term and the extras from Reef Smith closed the gap to a margin of just five points.

Casuarina Cougars won the under-13s boys 2024 Darwin Rugby grand final.

Nathan Buba restored the buffer shortly after and the side had their confidence back, but there was more drama to come as Park bagged his second try 13 minutes from time.

Palmy’s Cooper Connell set the crowd alight with a late 50m run downfield to give the Crocs a sniff, but it wasn’t to be as Cougars won the turnover penalty and cleared their final lineout to win 19-17.

Emma Healey was the one to light up the under-14s decider later in the evening as her Dragons swept the Swamp Crocs 37-0.

Healey banked four of the Dragons’ seven tries to steer her minor premiers home with Patricia Watts and Isabella Driffield crossing the whitewash along with a penalty try.

Swamp Crocs had their revenge in an injury-marred U17 girls grand final, running out 20-5 winners.

The Swamp Crocs won the under-17s girls 2024 Darwin Rugby grand final.

Palmerston edged the Dragons in a 7-5 under-15s boys slugfest with George Tekopua’s conversion the only thing splitting two incredibly even sides.

The under-17s boys decider between Cougars and Crocs was a real epic with Casuarina’s Tomasi Eaton striking inside the first three minutes, with Aidan Buckley adding the extras.

The minor premiers looked in cruise control when James Watt crossed in the top left corner and the side went 14-0 up as Buckley’s accuracy remained on point.

But, as in any classic final, momentum began to shift.

Casuarina Cougars won a thrilling under-17s boys Darwin Rugby grand final.

First, a surging effort from Drew Bell on the halftime hooter to break Palmy’s duck.

Then a 42nd minute try to Crocs power runner Emosi Uluivuya with halfback Judah Te Whaiti’s conversion squaring the ledger at 14-all.

The Crocs faithful erupted when Te Whaiti landed a sharp penalty to put his side ahead for the first time in the match, but it was short lived with Bell receiving a yellow for repeated infringements.

Casuarina’s one-man advantage proved too much to handle as centre Setefano Cakaunivalu crashed over for the eventual matchwinner, Cougars holding out for a 19-17 victory.