WERRIS Creek Magpies might have got the kick up the backside they needed.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That was one assessment from veteran coach Ron Dellar after Saturday’s 46-12 loss to Kootingal Roosters at David Taylor Park.
Dellar has completed that same walk hundreds of times, through some halcyon days when the Magpies ruled the group, winning a swag of first division premierships in the ’90s, including a Clayton Cup.
“Yeah, we were outplayed in every department today,” Dellar said.
“We might have been a bit cocky too. Might have needed that kick up the backside.”
The good news for the Magpies was they didn’t do too much damage, except to their for and against and pride. It was a day where the Maggies made some simple and terrible
mistakes.
A day where Michael Saunders had fullback Anthony Smith to beat and with Latrell Hampton unmarked inside but didn’t pass, or fullback Zac Darcy picking up a kick perilously close to the sideline, trying to keep it in play by flicking it back but only flicking it to a Rooster player to dive over and score the simplest of tries.
Andrew Moodie kicked that ball and scored the try, one of the easiest the Rooster lock will ever score.
There was also the spectacle of Stewart Porter, one of those great players from the ’90s, and arguably the best player to play in Group 4 the past 30 years, dropping the ball. Not once but twice! That’s possibly two more times than this journalist has ever seen down at David Taylor Park.
The good thing for the Maggies though is that they remain second.
For how long remains to be seen if they produce another limp effort like the first 40 minutes against Kooty.
This Saturday they go to Boggabri to play a Kangaroo side bubbling along in fourth and fresh from a big win at Barraba where they knocked the Bulldogs out of contention.
Down 18-12 at half time they came back to win 30-18.
It will be a big day at Jubilee Oval as the Kangaroos sit just two points behind third-placed Dungowan Cowboys, who are heading to Quirindi to tackle a Grasshopper side that forfeited to Walcha on the weekend.
It wasn’t the preparation Walcha needed approaching their trip to Kootingal to tackle the Roosters on Saturday in what will be a big charity day for Ronald McDonald House, advised club publicity officer Kevin Storch. “Kootingal will wear special jerseys for the day and our major sponsor for the day is 360 Club Fitness,” he reported.
“Ronald Macdonald House will have merchandise and other stalls at the ground together will jumping castles and other activities for the children. After the game the men’s jerseys will be auctioned at the Kootingal Hotel. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to Ronald McDonald House.”
In other Group 4 Second Division games on Saturday Manilla Tigers host Barraba Bulldogs and Bendemeer is at home to Uralla Tigers.