One of the most brutal games in recent years, both teams threw everything they could at each other. Right from the kick-off, the attack and defence was bone crushing. Cold southerly winds and fine conditions heralded the opening of hostilities on a reasonably firm surface at McLean Oval.

Both squads went straight to work and Harden had the better of field position and possession to keep the visitors scoreless for almost 20 minutes. The Brahmans' defence toiled away and deflected attack after attack until the 19th minute when Harden scored against their left defence. Abed Atallah added the extras to make the score 6-0. The Hawks had the slight benefit of the wind at their backs and forced Binalong into defence again.

A penalty for an infringement only 20 metres out from Binalong's goal line saw Hawks' captain Luke Brown elect to try for the two points, whether this was the right decision or not, we will never know. Binalong had been under extreme pressure with 11 minutes of the first half remaining and Harden took the 8-0 lead. James Blair, Tony Worthy and Ben Potts kept taking the ball up in spite of the score line.

Binalong doubled their resolve and made inroads. Then, a sickening clash at full speed between attack and defence resulted in a serious injury to the Hawks fullback. The game was held up for some time. Two quick and unconverted tries, the first to Matt Cooke and then to Jonno Butt on opposite sides of the field brought the score to 8-all.

It has been a very long time since the Brahmans went to the sheds at halftime not leading the game. When the players took the field for the final stanza, the visitors pressed home their attack. After only six minutes, an accurate grubber into Harden's in-goal found Phil Sparnon dive and ground the ball for the four points. Craig Irwin obliged with the boot to make the 14-8 score line.

For almost the next 30 minutes, both clubs went at each other with ruthless and unrelenting vigour. Harden's Johnny Hill and Tyson Astill threw caution to the wind in an attempt to neutralise Blair and Spencer. The Hawks' Abed Atallah's kicking game was inch-perfect all day and was answered equally by a very courageous display by Matt Cooke at fullback.

But the stand-out was a chip kick for Binalong into the Harden in-goal by Rawlinson which was fielded on the full by Atallah who was away, centre Phil Sparnon was on the wrong side of the action but quickly turned and ran down the heavier five-eighth, rolling him on his back in an instant and snuffing out the line break.

The arm-wrestle continued until the referee sent Daniel Poidevin to the sin-bin for an infringement and Binalong then proved they could defend their line as well with 12 players as they could with a full squad. If an observer thought last week's defence against Crookwell's first half sustained attack was very good, Saturday's defence was absolutely superb. The Hawks must have thought they were in with a chance but the Brahmans held them out by three tries to one in the end.

Binalong 14 (Cooke, Butt and Sparnon tries; Irwin goal) defeated Harden 8. Referee: Mr Garth Widdowson.

TOUCH FOOTBALL

The Binalong Jersey Girls went on their winning way with a very dominant victory over the Hawkettes by 8-2. Led by Madaline Brayshaw, this team has grown in confidence to the point where it will be difficult for their opponents to deny them a minor premiership in this competition.

Bron Pollack, Jenna Cooke and Jess Howard are very experienced players who just blitz their opposition and the Girlpies at Walker Park in Yass are now their only obstacle. Binalong now look forward to their last home game of the regular season against Boomanulla next Saturday at 1.30pm.

Bos indicus.