JAKE Reid celebrated his first win as Bendemeer’s coach on Saturday evening.
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The former Bendy player, a stalwart for many years of hard slogs on the paddock, was havign a few quiet drinks with his wife Alison, father Toby and Pete Ridley when The Leader caught up with him.
A Bendemeer Mountain Man through and through, he was waiting for a “few of the boys” to turn up after they had withstood a late surge from Boggabri Kangaroos for a 20-16 victory.
Former club president Scott Saunders was just leaving and together they reckoned their best against the Kangaroos had been winger Peter Gardner, prop Nathan Flynn, five-eighth Adam Ruttley and Harlee Milgate.
“He started at lock then moved to fullback,” Reid said.
“Adam changed the game when he came on,” Saunders reckoned.
Reid agreed while also giving a few plugs to big prop Cody Walker.
“He’s a local from Bendy, and played well,” he said of the “big unit”.
“But it was cold there today,” he added.
“Our game matched it. It was ugly.
“The sun did come out for about five minutes though.
“It was a dismal day but we can improve on that.
“We were missing Bruce Murray today.”
Reid played all his football for his home town Bendemeer with his heart on his sleeve.
No flash in the pan attacking star, he was a good, solid forward who knew how to tackle and did it often.
In every game.
“We’ve got to have better commitment,” he said.
“If we don’t pull our fingers out we’ll be left behind.
“It takes a bit of heart and soul.”
One thing he was pleased about was better discipline.
Bendy has been prone to fritter away chances with silly penalties and mistakes in the past.
Indeed it did that in a recent night loss to Dungowan.
Both Bendemeer and Boggabri have byes this weekend, with Barraba hosting Manilla (Barraba Sportsground), Walcha at home to Werris Creek at Captain Cook Park, Walcha and Kootingal Roosters heading out to the Dungowan Recreation Reserve to tackle the Cowboys.