Magpies’ Adam Shaw takes down Rams’ Mona Masters when the two sides met earlier this season.
THE ARMIDALE Rams have been delivered a 70-20 thrashing by the Glen Innes Magpies on Saturday and look set to miss a berth in the rugby league group-19 semi finals.
The Rams were within striking distance at half time with score at 26-16 but after the Magpies scored early in the second half, and player-coach Brian Dennison said the Armidale side ran out of legs.
“We were short a number of players and some of the guys had played almost a full game in reserves,” he said.
“I thought we may have been in with a chance early on but we just couldn’t match them.”
The Glen Innes side are currently sitting at the top of the ladder but the Rams did not expect to suffer such a large loss.
“Glen Innes are a really fit and strong side who play a lot of physical football and unfortunately they were too quick, too fast and too fit for us on the weekend.”
The Armidale side has been plagued by injury this season and Dennison said it has affected his side’s ability to play consistent football.
“We were unable to consistently field our strongest team week-in week-out and against teams like Glen Innes and Inverell who are so strong as a team and a club it is hard to match that,” he said.
The Rams are now sitting on equal points with Moree in fifth spot and have a bye this weekend, which means their fate rests in the hands of Tingha.
“We now have to wait and hope that Tingha are able to beat Moree, but that isn’t likely,” Dennison said.
“If we do make the semi finals we need to be able to field our strongest side to try and match some of these teams we will come up against.”