The Boars beat Glen Innes 58-26 on Kerry Mead Park, Glen Innes to suggest they might be a strong premiership threat this season.

At Guyra the Spuds returned from a long hiatus against Ashford Roosters but copped a pasting as the visitors rushed to 94-6 win.

Inverell had started the theme of visiting teams winning when they rained on Warialda’s return Friday night with a 44-10 win at Warialda Recreation Showground.

Yesterday, Tingha Tigers became the only visiting team not to post a win when they were beaten by the Armidale Rams.

The Rams won 108-10 with Steve and Garry Quinlan leading the way.

 Ryan Kelly also scored 38 points, booting 15 goals and scoring two tries.

However it was the Moree Boars who were the most impressive, stunning the Magpies on their home turf on Saturday, surging from the blocks with an opening blitz that saw them take an early 22-nil advantage.

The season couldn’t have started much worse for Glen, dropping the ball from the kick-off and conceding Matt Marshall’s try on the first tackle from the scrum. 

In the following 15 minutes, the Boars posted another three tries as hooker Stan Swan set up break after break, many coming from mercurial man of the match, fullback Brenton Cochrane.

Todd Cameron started at fullback in his first game for the Magpies and spent time at hooker when Ben Vidler had a spell. 

It was Cameron who sparked the Glen fightback with two smart tries near the posts in three minutes. 

Then big prop Jeff Moate, returning to the Magpies after a short stint with Illawarra Cutters, stormed over and suddenly the home supporters had a feeling that Glen was on top, trailing by just 22-18 at the break.

But the second half started poorly for the Magpies as they conceded a penalty from the re-start and Moree surged on the attack again. 

There was plenty of poor handing from both sides before Cochrane turned Glen defenders inside out on a magnificent run to the line in the 49th minute. 

Then, in quick succession, hooker Swan and winger Steve Murray scored good tries and Moree extended their advantage to 14 points.

Magpie winger Will Newberry finished off a good backline passing rush in the corner and Moree led 32-22 with 20 minutes left but the final quarter belonged entirely to the visiting team with tries to Ben Williams (who also landed nine goals in a fine kicking display), James Creighton, Marshall’s second four-pointer and Ethan Collins, pointing to the Boars’ dominance, although Moate’s second try for Glen came on the bell.

Cochrane was outstanding for the Boars, his elusive running sounding alarm bells with every touch of the ball, hooker Swan organised the attack beautifully and was rewarded with a brace of tries.

 For the Magpies, Cameron was excellent and new coach Nick Ehsman praised the effort of youngster Perry Stapleton, just turned 17 but as big as anyone on the field.