Redbacks’ Road Trip

Round one of the 2004 season saw the Warwick Redbacks take on the Goondiwindi Hawks for the bragging rights to the inaugural Fraser’s Livestock Shield. The game was played in Warwick and won by Warwick by 31 points. This Saturday the two teams go head to head for the 20th time for what is now known as the Warwick-Goondiwindi Challenge Shield.  Each time the clubs play each other the shield goes up for grabs. The Redbacks have recently had the wood over Gundy, both at home and away. Of the 19 games played the Reddies have held sway for 14, including the last 10 in a row.
With the Redbacks sitting in second place in the competition and the Hawks in eighth place you could imagine another shield is heading Warwick’s way. That is not necessarily the case. Gundy have a wonderful knack of embarrassing top teams at Riddles Oval when it is least expected. In the past four seasons, Coolaroo, South Toowoomba and USQ have all taken the trip lightly and paid the price. Each of those teams went on to win the grand final in those years.
Some interesting stats have come out of the challenge. The Reddies biggest win was by 162 points in round four, 2008; the greatest margin for the Hawks has been 104 points in round eight, 2004. Round six, 2005 Gundy snuck home thanks to an impossible goal kicked by Russell Baldock on the run, from the boundary line with only seconds to go. The result was a one goal victory to Gundy. Two years later in round nine, Wayne Richards in his last game for the Reddies kicked the winning goal as they held on to win by five points.
Ladder positions hold no meaning for these two clubs when they go into combat; both clubs play the game in the true spirit of the game. Hit the ball hard, put their bodies on the line and win the ball at all costs within the rules of the game. Win, lose or draw, come Sunday morning there will be 22 members of each team very aware that they have been in a battle.
Like the Redbacks, Gundy is a family orientated club; the junior section is very strong and their future is in very good hands and the social finale after challenge games are as legendary as the games. A warning to the newer Redbacks senior players, talk to those who have made the Gundy trip before. Do not think for one minute that this game is a given. Good luck Reddies. Bring home shield number 15.