THE Nowra-Bomaderry Jets fairytale 2014 season continued on Saturday and they are now just one game away from a Group 7 grand final berth.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Anyone who doubted the Jets premiership credentials would have been in for a rude shock after they knocked out defending premiers the Gerringong Lions in Saturday’s minor semi-final at Nowra Showground.
Despite trailing 16-nil at one stage in the first half, the Jets fought back to snatch a thrilling 22-20 victory, when winger Keiran Brandon scored the match-winner in the dying seconds.
One man who has never doubted his side’s potential is the Jets captain-coach Ben Wellington, who credited the win to their never say die attitude.
“The boys showed so much character and they pushed through adversity to get the win,” he said.
“To be 16-nil down and come back was such a good show of dedication and determination,” he added.
Wellington had to watch the majority of the game from the bench after he was forced from the field with injury in the first half.
After playing the first 25 minutes, Wellington copped a knock in the ribs in a tackle, which he shrugged off at first, but it soon got worse.
“I couldn’t breathe, I felt a little pop and I just thought 'oh no'.
“It felt like someone was stabbing me with a knife.”
The ongoing pain and being on the wrong of the scoreboard made the game twice as tough for Wellington to sit through.
“We were getting beat 20-6 in the second half, it was hard to watch because I was getting angry and I was in a lot of pain,” he said.
“But it was all worth it when Keiran got that try. That’s the sort of stuff fairytales are made of.”
Wellington went to hospital after the game where he learned he had a torn cartilage in his ribs.
“It’s still pretty sore, but it’s not broken, which is a good sign,” he said.
“I can’t say for sure whether I’ll be able to play next week, but I’m hoping I’ll be right,” he added.
It will be the first time since 2009 Gerringong have not been one of the two teams in the grand final.
The Jets will now take on the Shellharbour City Sharks in the preliminary final next weekend, with the winner to face the Warilla-Lake South Gorillas in the decider.