THE Magpies are ready to swoop.
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After years of grief from cross-town rivals Pirates, Tamworth have arguably their best chance for years to turn the local derby tables today.
Sure, one round isn’t much of a form guide but on what the Magpies showed against Quirindi last week they have the weaponry to take it to their cross-town rivals.
Pirates are certainly bracing for their sternest challenge.
“It’ll be tough,” second- rower Andrew Wynne said.
“It’ll probably be the best Tamworth side that any of the senior players have played against.”
And on the back of their big win over Quirindi last week, they’ll “have the wind in their sails”.
Magpies coach Kevin Rooney isn’t getting caught up in the hype of last week or the derby though.
“What I’ve told myself and told the players is ‘let the game come to us’,” he said.
“It’s just a game in a long season.”
“We’ve got to concentrate on what we’ve got to do right, not concentrate on the derby.”
Last week has given them a renewed optimism and confidence, although they know Pirates will be a big step up on Quirindi.
“It’ll definitely be a test for us,” Rooney said, adding that they’ll have to improve in every facet of the game.
It was hard to pick too much fault with their performance and, for Rooney, this week has been about how they respond under pressure.
“Last week we saw ourselves get comfortable early in the game,” Rooney said.
“This week is about how do we finish off a game if we’re not comfortable.
“How do we get out when we’re down.”
They’re not always going to be in front or dominate possession as they did last week.
They have made only the one change, with James Blanch coming into the side for Rhys Duncan.
Blanch has been around Tamworth for a while, Rooney said, but just hasn’t played.
“He’ll offer something different,” he said.
Pirates coach Andrew Verrell has resisted too many changes but will welcome back number eight Conrad Starr.
“That’ll make a big difference to us,” Verrell said.
They missed his ball-running last week and the other attributes he brings such as his ability to read the game.
Verrell wasn’t reading too much into last week as far as the Magpies, but from what he saw of them at the knockout and what he’s heard, they are a far more threatening side than what they’ve seen for a lot of years.
He sees the back three particularly as a threat and is anticipating a tough day for the pack.
“Looking at their forward pack I think they’ll come at us in the forwards,” he said.
There is an element of having a point to prove. They were very disappointing against Gunnedah.
“We need to make amends for last week,” Verrell said.