‘Strength in numbers’ may be the best explanation for the Forbes Magpies’ promising start to the Group 11 rugby league season, says club president Greg Grogan.
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The Magpies host struggling Dubbo Macquarie at Spooner Oval tomorrow and while Grogan is not one to underestimate a rival, the home team’s prospects on Sunday are much better than this time last year.
“It will still be a hard game, because all games are hard really, but all three grades are going well at the moment,” he said yesterday.
“It’s a real credit to the boys actually. We’re getting heaps [of players] at training, it’s the most we’ve had at training for years and years.”
Under new first grade captain coach Zac Merritt the Magpies have won five of their six matches, while Macquarie have just the one win ahead of round eight tomorrow.
Grogan said the strength of the Magpies reserves, with four wins and two losses, was contributing to the senior team’s success.
“We’ve got some really good players this year, and most of them are local boys that have come back [to Forbes].
“But we’ve got 20 to 25 blokes in reserve grade this year and there are some very good players in that side and that puts pressure on the guys in first grade, knowing there is that competition for positions.”
There is just the one change to the team that enjoyed a narrow win over Wellington last week with centre Tys Rewiti sidelined with injury. Fijian recruit Russ Lawanikula will move from wing to the centres and Matt Morris comes into the first grade side.
Western Division representatives Jake Grace and Ben Maguire have been named in the team and barring injury in today’s game at Bathurst, will take their place in the Magpies forward pack alongside Ben Robinson, Zac Merritt, Haydon Bolam and Ethan Gaffney.
While some of the representative players and new recruits have earned praise this year, Grogan is also impressed with the form of locals like Rewiti, Robinson and half Matt Roylance.
“He’s had an outstanding season so far,” he said of Roylance, who has played both half and five-eighth this year.
“He’s come back to league after a couple of years of union and he’s just been a good player all round,” he said.
Macquarie don’t have a women’s league tag team, meaning tomorrow’s matches will kick off at 11.30am with the reserves.
