GREATER Northern Tigers completed a slick session in dry conditions with a good “opposed session” against the Werris Creek Magpies on Tuesday night.
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The Darryl Rando-coached Tigers play Western Rams on Saturday at Bathurst’s Carrington Park in the first round of the Country Championships
The Magpies, who are equal leaders on the Group 4 Second Division Shield competition, gave the Tigers some spirited opposition in their sharp session that had former NSW Country and Cronulla back Lindsay Bowne impressed.
Bowne, who is coaching the Magpies with veteran Magpies legend Ron Dellar this season, liked what he saw from the Tigers.
“They looked pretty good” the former Country representative star said.
“They looked sharp against us and there is a lot of talent there.
“They do have some attacking sparks like Matty Nean and Tim Smith.
“Their skipper Daniel Ritter is a good player too.”
Bowne said the side looks mobile with a bit of size and impact players off the bench.
One of those players hoping to make an impact off the bench is North Tamworth backrower Shane-Leigh Wadwell.
He missed out on selection last year when he had to attend a wedding on the same day as the Greater Northern Tiger trials.
He hopes to make up for lost time on Saturday.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
“I’ll come off the bench and try to make an impact.
“But it is good to play with all these good players.
“I have played with a lot of these blokes before too.
“I’ve been to Bathurst but never played there before though.”
He thinks it could be a bit cool.
“It will warm up a bit after I hit the ball up a few times,” he said.
“It’s going to be tough but we’ll play pretty direct.”
That’s something Rando’s sides are renowned for – keeping it simple but also “playing what’s in front of you”.
27-year-old Wadwell expects a big Western Rams pack too and that means he and fellow benchmen Chris Vidler, Scott Blanch and Lachlan Cameron will have important jobs come Saturday afternoon.
They will train again as a team tomorrow afternoon as their final preparation for a game where the winner plays South Coast in a Tier 2 semi-final on June 13.