RUGBY LEAGUE

The Magpies sealed their regular season with a 12-10 win over Nyngan Tigers, setting up a finals berth against CYMS in Dubbo

Captain Nick Greenhalgh said it was good to get the job done – in cold and wet conditions on their home ground – although the first grade had secured its third position on the Peter McDonald Premiership ladder.

“Going into the semi-finals after a win’s always nice,” he said.

On a day the club was celebrating the official opening of Spooner Oval’s new grandstand, the home sides delivered good wins in the league tag (28-4) and reserve grade (32-6).

First grade also started well – Farren Lamb putting on the first points within minutes and Traie Merritt over before the first quarter was finished.

In both cases Nick Greenhalgh’s kick added the extras for Forbes to have an early 12-0 lead.

“I thought we completed our sets really well,” Greenhalgh said of the early stages of the game.

“We gave them a couple of opportunities but we were able to turn them away with our defence.”

But that was where the points ended for the Magpies.

Nyngan narrowed the gap to 12-6 before half time, and scored the only points in a dogged second half to finish 10-12.

Running into the breeze in wet conditions wasn’t ideal for the hosts, and the Tigers held onto the last.

“We had to work really hard coming out of our own end and credit to Nyngan they really defended really well,” Greenhalgh said.

“They had nothing to lose yesterday, it’s their last game of the season.

“They made us work really hard, we had to do a lot of defence.”

But the captain does think that will stand his side in good stead as the finals season begins, Forbes’ first challenge to return to Dubbo to take on CYMS.

CYMS are the defending premiers but only after an epic 2025 grand final against Forbes, which ended with a field goal 10 minutes into golden point time.

“The last few weeks have been really good for us in terms of winning the ruck and being really good in defence, so nothing much is going to change this weekend,” Greenhalgh said.

But the side will welcome back Charlie Lennon and Jake Grace, who were out on the weekend, as they

“We’re excited to go back over to Dubbo and hopefully get one back on them – that would be nice,” Greenhalgh said.

The Magpies were also bolstered by a solid win over the previously undefeated Mudgee Dragons, also at Spooner Oval, a week earlier.

With a three-game run at home to complete the 15 rounds of the regular season, that was a clash the Magpies had set their sights on.

“We played probably our best game all year,” Greenhalgh said.

“Mudgee are top of the table for a reason it was good to get a bit of confidence over them, knowing we can beat them.

“In saying that it was just a regular season game, if we come up against them again they’re going to be a different team, it’s going to be a different challenge and hopefully we’re ready.

“It’s going to be a good finals series, I know that.”

Reserve grade, under 18s and league tag have also finished third on their competition ladders.

This Saturday 15 August

Under 18s meet Bathurst Panthers at Mudgee at 11am

Reserve grade meet Mudgee Dragons at Mudgee at 1pm

Sunday 16 August

League tag take on Orange CYMS at Wade Park, Orange at 10.30am

First grade meet Dubbo CYMS at Apex Oval, Dubbo at 2pm