If you're going to bomb, you may as well bomb in a big way.
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That's what happened to Gunnedah in a 36-10 loss to Werris Creek at Kitchener Park on Saturday.
The Magpies, who scored 24 unanswered second-half points, made it three straight wins - which made their co-coach, Ron Dellar, a fairly contented man as his side goes into hibernation for two weeks (a bye, then the Queens Birthday long weekend).
"We've got a long way to go, but we're happy," Dellar said.
Conversely, Gunnedah slumped to their second straight loss (both at home) - which made their coach, John Hickey, a concerned man. He said it was two straight matches in which his players had referee issues.
"Obviously we can't figure out how to work with the referees," he said. "So we probably need to work on that more than anything."
The Creek led 12-10 at halftime, with Gunnedah imploding after the break. In quick succession, young referee Corey Dixon marched Matt Baker and Aaron Donnelly - two members of the Bulldogs' four-pronged leadership group - for backchat. Gunnedah captain Reece Jaeger continually pleaded with Dixon in the second half, with the official penalty count 7-2 to the Creek (it seemed more lopsided than that).
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Baker and Donnelly were each given 10 minutes in the bin, and they sat, forlornly, next to each other on the sidelines as the Magpies garrotted the home side via waves of penetrating spine-orchestrated offence.
No.9 Callum Hayne - who joined the Magpies from Gunnedah this season after his father, Sean, was dumped as coach - was strong in his first match against his former club.
Harlee Millgate wore the No.7 for the Creek - after regular halfback Scott Berry sat out the match after suffering kidney damage in the defeat of Kooty last round - and he delivered another incisive attacking performance.
As part of the backline reshuffle, Millgate's brother, Dwight, was moved to five-eighth and caused Gunnedah a lot trouble - scoring a typically strong close-range try early in the second half. It was converted by co-captain Cody Tickle, and the Magpies were on their way.
Tickle's co-captain, front-rower Tom Brown, was taken to hospital with a neck injury, although he was still able to walk.
The third Millgate brother in the side, No.3 Isaah, scored two tries.
The Magpies' opening try, in the 23rd minute, was posted by second-rower Sam Lumby, who followed Hayne to the Creek at the end of last season. In a pre-match interview with the Leader, Lumby delighted at the prospect of playing against his former club.
Werris Creek 36 (Isaah Millgate 2, Dwight Millgate, Kieran Williams, Sam Lumby, Nathan Slater tries; Cody Tickle 6 goals) d Gunnedah 10 (Paul Sharpely, Dylan Lake tries; Reece Jaeger goal)
