Dungowan produced a first round upset when they beat Kootingal for the first time in a half dozen years at Kootingal Oval on Saturday.
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Playing for the Steve Pepperell Shield the Cowboys shut out the Roosters in the second half to set up a 52-22 win after leading 12-6 at half time.
Cowboys co-coach Luke Taylor was delighted with the effort with new hooker Ryan Ingram and backrower Brett Jarrett starring.
Ingram took control around the ruck to set up a number of tries with well-timed short passes.
"A great start for us," Taylor said while watching his former Bear teammates dismantle Manilla on Sunday.
Kootingal coach Geoff Sharpe said his side committed some fundamental errors in the first half, and then ran out of gas in the second half after having to do a lot of work in the first half.
Riley Reid and Johnny Seabrook were two of his best.
It was a day for upsets.
After testing Narrabri at their Jubilee Oval home ground last season, Boggabri went one step better beating last year's minor premiers 40-22.
The Roos sparkled in the first half, leading 30-4 at the break before Narrabri fought back to trail 30-22 halfway through the second half.
The Shane Rampling-coached Roos steadied with two late tries to seal the match after former captain-coach, Paul Hassab, had kicked off.
Hassab was back in town celebrating 80 years of the family business in Boggabri.
He coached the Roos to their first ever premiership in 1963 when they beat West Tamworth Robins 22-10. He also played two seasons with Canterbury in the 1964-65 seasons and represented Country when they beat an International-strewn City side.
Returning to the region Hassab later captained Gunnedah to a Group 4 premiership in 1973, winning the Clayton Cup as well.
Rampling was delighted "especially with the first half".
"We were enthusiastic and energetic," he told G4 Media.
"They played for each other."
While they dropped off in the first half of the second half they responded to finish strong with props Nic Millar and Jay Urquhart prominent.
Bench forwards Bailey Lennox and Nick Lyons also excelled when they entered the fray while halfback Josh Trindall controlled the game well with a great kicking game.
Centre Robert Doolan also starred and made numerous breaks out wide after setting up the first try of the match for Trindall after breaking clear on halfway.
Narrabri coach Jake Rumsby said his side was "terrible in that first half".
Halfback Todd Nichols was impressive while prop Daniel Jobson went non-stop in a powerful game that was rewarded with a second half try. Centre Sam Sadler also impressed.