NARRABRI skipper Matt Schwager couldn’t have been prouder of his side after their 30-20 win over Moree on Saturday to retain the Heath Shield.
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“I’m very proud of the boys,” Schwager said.
“It’s very hard going back to back.”
While everyone is still motivated, that desire isn’t quite there the same.
The tag of premiers also probably puts a target on you.
Every other team wants to knock you off.
“To achieve it is fantastic,” he said.
That they had to do it away from home made it all the more satisfying, although the Moree factor didn’t really faze Schwager.
“My record is better up there,” he said.
He’s come out on top four of the five times he’s played in Moree but is yet to taste victory against the Bulls at Dangar Park.
They lost both home games to them this season.
Remarkably, neither side won at home, with Saturday’s win making it two from two for the Blue Boars at Weebolla.
Schwager was quick to point to their defence as where they won it.
“Defence is what wins big games,” he said.
“Your attack comes naturally.”
“Today our defence was outstanding, especially after the last two times we’ve played them.
“We’ve been very ordinary.”
The other thing that’s been ordinary is their start.
Schwager had said heading in they couldn’t afford to give the Bulls the 20-plus point headstart they have the last couple of games.
They wouldn’t be able to run that down in a grand final.
From the kick-off they were noticeably switched on, working their way down into Moree’s 22 and drawing first blood just a few minutes in.
The skipper came up with the try, burrowing through some space beside the ruck.
Michael Cain then put them 10-nil up after 10 minutes.
“When we got to a 10-point lead I brought everyone in and said ‘don’t take it for granted’,” Schwager said.
As it was, the Bulls fought back to within one at half-time.
Schwager’s message was simple.
“I said to the boys ‘nothing changes’,” he said.
“We had the wind and we could use it.”
They probably didn’t as well as they could have, he said, but they never really let the Bulls get any momentum and kept a try buffer for a lot of the second half.
Schwager’s second try got them out to a 15-point lead with just over five to play and quashed any hopes the Bulls had while they were still only eight away with 10 minutes to play.
This season Schwager stepped up to assist coach Hunter Harley and led a fairly young side.
“Even though we did have a couple of older blokes come back the average age was 22/23,” Harley said.
It augurs well for the future with the likes of Jack Maunder impressing under the pressure of a grand final.
Harley left him on for a bit longer than he has in the two previous finals, deservedly.
His defence on the Bulls’ big blokes was superb.