Forbes Magpies reserves captain / coach Tas Spackman is confident his team will be back to their best tomorrow, when they host Dubbo Macquarie in the Group 11 rugby league preliminary final.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Despite losing a first grade elimination semi-final earlier this month, the Forbes club was awarded the finals fixture and Magpies fans are set to flock to Spooner Oval tomorrow with both the reserves and under 18s hoping to qualify for next weekend’s grand finals.
Last Saturday’s 32-12 loss to Dubbo Westside was just the third defeat this year for Spackman’s Magpies reserves, and ended a 13 game winning streak.
It was all the more surprising given the Magpies had beaten Westside in both earlier meetings.
Spackman said he thought his troops may have been a bit overawed by the occasion at Dubbo’s Caltex Oval.
“It was a bit disappointing,” he said. “I think we pretty much played the game before we took the field. Most of the boys haven’t really played semis before so I think we were a bit nervous.”
Spackman said he hoped to have a couple of players return from injury on Sunday, giving him a 19-man squad for the game against Macquarie.
“But it will be a big advantage being at home I think, especially with a big home crowd.”
Four Magpies reserves players have already had their season end prematurely, with Ricky Brett, Wes Hodges, Jordan Hiki and Jarrod Nicholson all succumbing to injury.
Macquarie ended Dubbo CYMS’ season last weekend and Spackman said the Raiders won’t be taken lightly.
“They’re coming into some semi-finals footy now and starting to get their team together. For them to beat CYMS they must be going OK,” he said.
Spackman, who hasn’t decided if he’ll apply for the coaching job again, said it had been a good year for the black and white.
“It’s been a good year for us, and especially for the Magpies with three sides in the top three, and two being minor premiers, it’s been good all-round,” he said.
The reserves match is expected to kick off about 12pm tomorrow, after the women’s league tag game, and before under 18s.
Forbes will also host Dubbo Macquarie in the juniors preliminary final after losing to CYMS 22-14 last Saturday.
Coach Peter Besgrove will welcome several players back after they missed last weekend’s loss due to a deb ball.
The first grade match between Parkes and Wellington will follow the under 18s game.