In what seemed like an inevitable end to the regular season, the Goulburn City Bulldogs' Under 19s side are the 2021 minor premiers.
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![Booted: Tom Harmer has been a heavy scorer for the Bulldogs all season. He currently sits equal third on the list of competition try-scorers and second on the list of overall point-scorers. Photo: Zac Lowe. Booted: Tom Harmer has been a heavy scorer for the Bulldogs all season. He currently sits equal third on the list of competition try-scorers and second on the list of overall point-scorers. Photo: Zac Lowe.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ijfQKXbsEKgSKGW5xB5NiF/afd66806-229d-4125-8d37-ff4e073b43e4.JPG/r0_161_5184_3364_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Though the team missed its last three matches due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, they had done enough to secure first place on the ladder by a margin of two points over the second-ranked Gungahlin Bulls.
"It's a proud moment," Under 19s coach Shane McCallum said.
"To be honest, it's a credit to the boys because they worked hard all year. It's well-deserved, you don't come first for no reason."
As the situation currently stands, Canberra Region Rugby League has stated its intent to go forward with a finals series if possible. Exactly what form finals would take depends on how soon the ACT and NSW emerge from their current lockdowns, which are scheduled to end on September 2 and August 28 respectively.
However, should a finals series progress, McCallum knows Goulburn will be the team to beat.
"I'm quietly confident that we can take it out if we play finals, whether that's a one-versus-two or a two-week finals series or a three-week finals series," he said.
"We're prepared for it and ready to go."
Though the lockdowns have ended the Bulldogs' First Grade campaign, it has provided a silver lining for McCallum in that he now has a full roster of healthy players to choose from.
"Obviously, First and Reserve Grade didn't make it this year, so I get those players back from those sides," he said.
"And we get some players back from injury as well, so our finals team is looking fairly strong at this stage, if it goes ahead."
Until there is a definitive call on whether or not a finals series will be played, McCallum has told his players to stay prepared until they know for sure what the future will hold.
"I've put a message out there to keep training, keep fit until we get the official word that it is over," he said.
"I think the CRRL is going to give us a week to train as well, before the competition restarts."
If a finals series is announced, the Bulldogs' biggest challenge will be the Bulls. They are the only side to have scored more than Goulburn's 336 points for the season, and claimed just one less win throughout the year.
The CRRL released an update late last week regarding its goals during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The full statement can be found here, and the organisation has promised to meet with its member clubs again this week to assess further health advice.
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