It’s been a prominent feature all season and Narrabri’s defence proved impenetrable at Dangar Park on Saturday as they kept themselves in the hunt to host the minor semi-final with a 36-point shut out of Inverell.
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Blue Boars coach Dylan Duncan has consistently lauded his sides defence, and for him the most pleasing aspect of the win was that they didn’t concede a point.
“Inverell are not a bad team. I just think our defence was better than their attack and that nullified that,” Duncan said.
It was the highlight of a 12-nil first half with the Blue Boars struggling to find their rhythm in attack, and dropping the ball at key times.
At least three times, by Duncan’s count, they spilled the ball over the line and generally “didn’t play very well”.
“Everyone was playing at probably 90 per cent,” he said.
That complaint didn’t extend to their defence, which especially through the forwards was very strong.
“They (Inverell) couldn’t make any metres through the forwards,” Duncan said.
He noted in the second half they played with more urgency, and improved their ball security. On the back of that they got a little bit more field position and were able to score some good tries.
Inside centre Jake Packer finished with a double and the three points. Will Turner was also good up front. He took a lot of runs and did a lot of good cleaning out while Beau Brummell “tackled everything that moved”.
Walcha also put on the second half afterburners to hammer Barraba/Gwydir 68-18 at Bingara.
The Rams ran in a point a minute in the second 40 as second rower Sione Kamato, wingers Dom Bower and Richard Young and replacement centre Charlie Keen all finished with doubles.
Simon Newton again pulled the strings brilliantly at five-eighth and picked up the zone three best and fairest points to go along with nine conversions.
Scone meanwhile ran in 11 tries to stampede Quirindi 71-8 and pick up their fifth win of the season. Outside centre Harry Morrow crossed for three tries and Mike Casey, Josh Pickering and Angus Robertson two as the Brumbies turned around a one point first round loss in emphatic fashion.
