Before he turns his attention to the "big dance", as he put it, that is the HSC, Tamworth young gun Harry Snook is hoping to be involved in another big dance.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Magpies will travel to Walcha next Saturday for what shapes as a mouth-watering major semi-final showdown after cementing second spot with a 78-nil demolition of Barbarians.
On a perfect spring afternoon, the Magpies turned on the razzle dazzle with Snook and his backline cohorts putting on a clinic.
READ ALSO:
"It was really good to be part of a backline like we had," Snook said.
"It was a great day for it, it was just one of those days where the passes stick and it all looks good."
The Magpies ran in 12 tries all up. Number eight Tom Capel led the charge with four while replacement back James Marshman crossed for a hat-trick and five-eighth Livinia Tuicakau a double.
Snook didn't get across the chalk but had a hand in several of the Magpies' tries and kicked nine conversions.
Last year was a breakout one for the teenage ace. On his Magpies debut, which was incidentally against the Baa Baas, he set a new club record top-grade points haul, and despite only playing a handful of games was adjudged the player of most potential for the zone.
He was also selected in the NSW Waratahs under-17 sevens squad.
His performances didn't go unnoticed, and before the New England season kicked-off Snook spent some time down in Sydney and played a couple of games of colts for Gordon.
"It was a great learning experience," he said.
"It's a completely different style of footy to country footy and it was a really good learning curve."
"I really enjoyed that."
But with his school commitments it wasn't really feasible to travel down there for training and games.
After getting a taste of finals last year with the Magpies, Snook is excited about what's ahead.
"It should be really good. As we showed today with the scoreboard we've got a really good team that can really perform in the finals and go really deep into the finals series," Snook said.
"Hopefully we can do that."
"We've got the team to do it it's just whether we do it on the day."
It wasn't just the Magpies' faithful either that were impressed by Saturday's performance with Barbarians coach Scott Bremner commenting that they would "give any side in any competition a big shake".
He has seen a lot of the Magpies over the years, formerly coaching Inverell for 17 years, and rates the 2020 outfit the best Tamworth side he has seen since the 90s.
"It's a classy team, the coaching staff have got everyone playing with a lot of continuity, and that backline is just silk. It's as good as I've seen since the Moree heydays," Bremner said.
Despite the heavy defeat, he was extremely proud of his sides efforts.
"And that's been the case the whole year," he said.
"We really are a team with no superstars, just a heap of heart."
He did make special mention of hooker Rhys Graham. Also the Baa Baas president, Graham was the players' player in what was his last game for the club. He and his wife are moving to Forbes.
"Huge loss to us, just as a human," he said.
Prop Jack Humbert picked up the three points, Bremner noting his effort to chase down Magpies fullback Tevita Pecili Lagimiri. Angus Eaton and and captain Jeremy Grills were also among the points.
Elsewhere St Alberts secured the final spot in the finals with a 56-5 win over Glen Innes, the Harbour Knights beat Armidale 42-10 to end the Blues season and Walcha thrashed Robb College 74-7 to wrap up the minor premiership.
