contrived by Roosterettes’ coach Bianka Jacobson was well executed.
Roosterettes coach Bianka Jacobson knew her team would have to be at their best to beat their Baradine visitors on Saturday for Round 10 of the Christie & Hood Castlereagh League Tag competition.
With the Baradine team (led by the formidable Maria Nagy) in second spot on the competition ladder, Jacobson knew it was going to be a tough game and called for some new tactics to hold off the Baradine side.
And it was the Cobar team who made the better start to the match with a number of early line breaks by Roosterettes attackers Brianna Watson, Brennah Aumua, Naomi Whitehurst and Jenna Fullagar giving the Cobar side good early field position.
The Baradine girls settled after the early upset and a wrap around play out wide on the wing resulted in Baradine putting first points on the board through Kasee Gardiner.
Fleur Andrews then crossed and Anna Arndell’s conversion gave Baradine a 10-0 lead.
Baradine’s defence was faultless for most of the match and their Coach Brad Saunders admitted his team was tested on a number of occasions as the Roosterettes continuously turned the ball back in behind the ruck and hit the try line at speed.
The Baradine girls had lots of options in attack running off playmaker Nagy, and they made good use of netball-style overhead passes to spread the ball which resulted in a number of tries.
Just before halftime, Nagy scored out wide to give her team a 14-0 lead at the break.
Jacobson’s halftime talk to remind her side of their team tactics had the desired effect and it wasn’t long after the re-start that the ball was spread wide which gave Aumua, who had plenty of pace, room to run 60+ metres down the sideline and score.
Good cover defence near their try line by Codi Mackay and Molly Harley limited Baradine’s scoring opportunities however with Nagy in her usual good form (she scored twice more, including from a double chip kick, right on full time) and another try to Andrews, Baradine finished as 30-4 winners.
Nagy’s game tally of 16 points included two conversions and helped to earn her the referee’s Best and Fairest game points along with team mate Madison Masman and Cobar’s Jacobson.
Jacobson’s team will be well tested again this Saturday when they take on top of the table, Gilgandra, at Gilgandra.
