By DAN RYAN.
The Cowra Magpies have suffered a stinging loss against visiting Manildra Rhinos this past weekend, with the Rhinos nabbing 46 points against 12 for the Magpies.
As a home game, the Magpies expected a solid defense against Manildra but with the Magpies managing injuries and a punishing final salvo from Manildra, the Magpies began looking to the next game.
"We were right in the game for a good sixty minutes, it was a really grinding game," Coach Phil Ingram said. "It was 18-12 for a bit, then they scored about 24-12 with twenty minutes to go. The effort was there to battle it, but they got another try to skip away and they ran away with it."
"I think the boys dropped their heads and started thinking about this next game. That was the disappointing part for us, we pride ourselves as being very tough to beat at home, and over the last two years Manildra has been the only team to beat us at home."
Latest Stories
With the Magpies heading to Manildra, Mr Ingram said the team is out to turn the tables after the defeat, which has happened before.
"Now we've got to return the favour this next weekend in Manildra in the first semi," he said, "They're the defending premiers for a reason, and they really showed it in the last twenty minutes of the game. We just needed to stay in the grind for the whole eighty minutes, but we did it for sixty and it really hurt us."
The Magpies refrain this season has to been to maintain their methodical play and tenacity for the entire match, and it's a system that usually works. Mr Ingram said the team and more broadly, the club itself is in a good place and will use the beginning of the semi finals as a 'reset.'
"We've otherwise put ourselves in a good position, the regular season is over now so it's like a fresh start. Anything can happen in semi finals. We'll be having a yarn at training... it's a brand new competition now - we beat them last year in Manildra so it can be done, it's just a matter of having belief and courage to turn up for one another and come away with a win. "
Going forward, the Magpies will be carefully managing injuries, including a broken arm and digging deep into a pool of available players in what has been a very physical season.
"We get a couple back and we lose a couple -- they sub one another in and out," Mr Ingram said.
"All three grades are in with a good chance, us and the girls finished third, and juniors finished minor premiers so the entire club is in a good position for the finals. It's up to us as a club and individual teams to turn up for one another and give it a red hot crack."
"It's just a matter of us keeping the combinations going and go back to Manildra and turn the tables on them." Mr Ingram said.
Special mentions went to Toby Apps, Josh Newling for their leadership. Josh Weston, Ricky Whitton and Jack Grant were also noted for their performance.
