victory over the Warren Bulldogs in their Round 1 Castlereagh League competition game at Tom Knight Memorial Oval.
The Cobar Roosters First Graders recorded a big 44-16 win over the Warren Bulldogs in their Castlereagh League Round 1 match at Tom Knight Memorial Oval on Saturday.
Under their new leadership team of coach Slade Neale and captain Nathan McAndrew, the Roosters looked fit, were exciting in attack and punishing in defence.
Coach Neale credits their first up excellent performance to a good preseason.
“It was a long preseason, that started early and all of the boys are committed,” Neale said.
Neale had asked players to do their own preseason fitness preparation so at training sessions, they could focus on learning how to play footy. He credits the Roosters’ first round win to their outstanding defence with the visitors rarely making any inroads into the Roosters’ half for most of the game.
And when Warren did have the ball, they found it hard to make any ground as they were pushed back every time by the Roosters’ tacklers.
“We’ve really worked on our shape and structure,” McAndrew said.
“In preseason we really wanted to stick to one structure and hold our defence and we did that, we executed it.”
The team has been bolstered this season with a few new pick ups including Centre Jackson Vallis, Prop Jackson Cox and Second rower Will Mclean and all three played their parts in the Roosters’ win on Saturday.
Former captain/coach, Loma Atuau, playing as Lock, opened the scoring for the Roosters on Saturday seven minutes into the match.
Atuau also had a hand in their next try three minutes later when Vallis crossed for the first of his two tries in the match.
It was non-stop action as Jimmy Neyland then broke through the defence and headed down field with his captain in support.
Neyland passed off and McAndrew raced over untouched to score.
Nine minutes before half time, the Roosters had an 18-0 lead, thanks to the accurate kicking of Tadhg McMullen, and the Warren side were getting hot under the collar.
They lost two players in quick succession to the sinbin but managed to cross for a try and narrow the margin to 18-4.
Neyland’s correctly weighted kick, which was gathered in by McMullen who dived over and scored, and McMullen’s sideline conversion, gave the Roosters a 24-4 lead at the break.
Tristan Everett opened the Roosters’ account in the second half with a try, Vallis scored his second, Oisin McMullen dived over to score next to the posts and Reynold Mugugia posted their last try three minutes before full time.
Tadhg McMullen had a sensational day with the boot kicking six goals for the Roosters.
