Long-time fans of the North Tamworth Bears might have done a double-take yesterday.
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The club's first grade team took to Jack Woolaston Oval for its trial game against the Dora Creek Swampies, but it was not a team that fans would quickly have recognised.
The Bears were without long-time leader Scott Blanch and veteran Ben Jarvis, who both retired at the end of last season.
But they were also missing Josh Schmiedel, Mitch Sheridan, Ethan Collins, and a handful of others who were competing in the Western Challenge Rugby League Knockout in Moree.
"We had our six, our seven, our captain, Josh [Schmiedel], and our starting front-rower all out with the Moree knockout," Bears coach Paul Boyce said.
"I think overall we had probably six first-graders out."
So it was not the Bears' top-tier side that faced off against Dora Creek. But, Boyce said, that was also not an excuse for their eventual 26-6 defeat.
"That Dora Creek side's a very good side," Boyce said.
"If anyone looks up how they've been over the last two years, I think they may have lost one game. So they've been fairly strong, and that's one thing that we really wanted to do with our trials, is get three tough games and get our guys under pressure."
Shortly after the North Tamworth reserve grade side secured an impressive 24-20 win, which Boyce said "showed some really good signs", the first graders took to the field right as cloud cover arrived.
The conditions were slightly cooler but still hot and humid as the Swampies got out to a three-try lead.
Despite trailing early in the game, North Tamworth looked competitive and consistently dangerous even with players out of position.
"In these trials, it's not about the result," Boyce said.
"It's about getting in, trying new things, and seeing how the new recruits go and how they respond under pressure."
The Bears' lone try came on the right wing through Jack Patterson, who played parts of the game at five-eighth rather than his customary position among the forwards.
If there was one aspect of the trial which didn't overly please Boyce, it was the handful of instances where tempers frayed and players from both sides got overly aggressive.
A number of scuffles broke out during the game, but all was put to rest once the final whistle blew and the players shook hands.
"I like us playing footy. The game's gotten pretty tough on that sort of stuff, and I don't want to lose any players from a trial," Boyce said.
"It's a tough physical game and the boys were fatigued."
Ultimately, the third-year coach was pleased with what he saw from his side.
Without a number of key players, they never stopped competing and showed ample heart against a very tough team with whom Boyce said the Bears are "pretty keen" to build a good relationship with.
"We were under pressure and we really could have just rolled over," he said.
"But they didn't, they fought back and played some decent footy ... it makes it hard, you train with a certain starting 13 and you've got to throw that all out. But I thought they guys responded well, I'm happy with how it went."