Gravesend Dynamite head coach Jason Owen was proud to be part of a thrilling wheelchair rugby league National Championship Grand Final - despite a narrow loss to Sheffield Eagles in Hull.

Dynamite were beaten 38-36 in golden point extra-time last weekend and Owen knows where the game was lost.

“[It was] a brilliantly-organised event by the RFL,” he said.

“As a team, we didn’t perform well enough, especially in the first half, but there are so many positives for us from the season, and in this final both clubs put on a great advert for wheelchair rugby league. Congratulations to Sheffield Eagles.”

Sheffield scored after just four minutes, taking advantage of Dynamite errors.

The first half saw further uncharacteristic inaccuracy from Gravesend, but tries from Dan Grant and Owen’s son, Max Owen, both converted by Grant, kept them within distance.

Dynamite then came out well after the break and went into a 24-16 lead with Reuben Bunning scoring and the try-of-the-game from Max. He collected a superb high kick from Grant to score in the corner.

But the game swung back to Sheffield in the last 20 minutes as some of the Dynamite squad tired.

Bunning got on the scoresheet again after good work from the whole team but, with two minutes to go, Gravesend were down 36-30, needing a try and a conversion to force extra time.

That try came through Grant and he held his nerve to slot home the extras.

But their valiant efforts fell short as an opportunity for a Grant drop goal just sliced wide of the uprights before Sheffield claimed the trophy with their penalty.

However Max did get his hands on an accolade after the match when he was presented with the 2024 National Championship young player-of-the-season award after a superb 38 tries in his last six games.

Owen senior added: “Max has had another outstanding season and it was a very proud moment for me as his coach and his dad to see him receive this national recognition from Rugby League.”