Now assured of the minor premiership, the Hawks went to Glen Innes with much to lose in the sense of possible injury and little to gain but they performed with great organisation and structure to dominate the match although Glen came back strongly in the second half.

“Our defence was really good, especially in the first half,” Hawks mentor Peter Stevens said. 

“In the second half we changed things around a bit and they (Glen) came back really strongly at us.”

Inverell scored five converted tries in the first half and conceded just one to young forward Brayden Gallagher when he scooped up a dropped ball on halfway and raced away for the four- pointer.

Nic Dawson opened the scoring with a strong run to the line after sixteen minutes during which play flowed from end to end. 

Rodney Bull, Harold Duncan and Brendon Critchlow added tries for the visitors before Gallagher put Glen on the board.

Three tries in a dozen minutes to open the second half put Inverell out to a dominant 46-6 lead before the home side started to fight back. 

Centre Craig Browne ran hard for a try before a long run by Gallagher, carried on by Jeff Moate and hooker Jamie Watts broke the defence. 

Halfback Ben Vidler then darted away from dummy half from fifteen metres to post an excellent try. 

Watts then ran strongly for his own try from near halfway.

Young Matt Milson had a fine old time of it, scoring his fourth try with a couple of minutes left then, after the whistle, Duncan showed his blistering pace to scamper over 70 metres for his hat-trick. 

Mepham was in fine touch with the boot, kicking nine from ten, including a couple of excellent conversions from near touch.

“I’m very happy with that,” Magpies coach Nick Ehsman said. 

“It was a big effort. There were some really big individual performances out there.

 Young Robbie Hamel played all three games and was terrific all day. He is a great club man.”

“Ped (centre Chris Pedlow) was very good again.”

Second-rower Matt Crowhurst was strong throughout and made excellent ground in attack with his footwork and pace at the line, testing the defence on many occasions.

Mepham, behind a very good pack, again stood out for Inverell, organising skilfully and making darting runs from the ruck.

“He is playing very well,” Stevens said.  “When we get the advantage he’s always there to take it.”