In what coach Marc McLeish has described as a top ofthe table clash, the Cowra Magpies have delivered a solid performance, defeating archrivals Blayney Bears 26 to 8 in a very physical encounter on Saturday.
Heading into the round, Cowra, Blayney and the Orange Warriors were all within striking distance of first place, setting the stage a first place struggle.
The Magpies rose to the occasion, digging deep to overcome a slow start and some errors, recovering to hold a lead into the second half.
“It was a really good game of footy, and a tough one too,” said Mr Mcleish. “The boys really aimed up. Despite a lot of mistakes in the first half, they still managed to lead going into the break.” Mr Mcleish said, with a mid game talk setting the tone for the rest of the match.
The focused halftime chat in the sheds laid the groundwork for a dominant second-half performance, particularly in defense. Cowra weathered a challenging period where they were reduced to 11 men due to multiple sin bins.
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“That effort with 11 men – that was gutsy. In the shed, we had a chat about what we had to do if we wanted to beat Blayney, and the boys came out and did exactly that.”
While the win was built on a strong all-round team performance, a few individual efforts stood out. David Simms and Jaylin Walford were key, both with and without the ball
“David was a real threat at five-eighth all game. He and Jaylin probably played their best games of the year – powerful runs and some massive defensive shots that really changed the tone.” McLeish said.
Blayney, long considered Cowra’s “ultra rival,” came into the match with the best defensive record in the competition, and while the scoreboard may not show it, the Bears' reputation for physicality was reflected in some sore Magpies at the end of the game.
“Even after our win, they’re still probably the best defensive team in the comp. That’s what makes this such a big triumph.” said Mr McLeish.
Cowra now heads into a well-earned bye, which comes at the perfect time after such a physical contest. The focus now turns to consolidation and recovery as the Magpies look to maintain their grip on top spot in the weeks ahead.
“This bye’s come at the right time. There are a few niggling injuries that will take a couple of weeks to get right. In my opinion, even having just lost 24 points against, it was a real triumph. Now staying focussed because we've got Canowindra next, and Canowindra will always be tough, especially on Old Boy's Day over there." said Mr Mcleish.
The Magpies victories were also carried in League Tag, with the girls resoundingly defeating Blayney 62-0.
Standout performances from Maddison O'Reilly, Haylie Ingram, Shailee Dolbell and Brittney Wallace carried the day, with conversions by Carla Hill punctuating each try.
Photos by Tess Roberts.
