League tag:
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The Glen Innes Magpies league tag team delivered a near-perfect defensive effort in their opening match against Narwan to secure a win.
After Narwan scored six points in the first-half, Magpies coach Andrew Hodgson issued his team a challenge for the second stanza.
"I told them at half-time I didn't want them to concede any points in the second-half and they did that," he said.
"I was quite happy with the whole game for our first hit out."
Hodgson took over the coaching this year from David Willis and Sunday's 36-6 win gives him a "100 per cent" record.
The Glen Innes squad was bolstered with the addition of a handful of girls stepping up from junior league and Hodgson said they stood tall against Narwan.
"We had young Sarah Woolfe, she scored three tries on debut," he said.
"She played out in the centres and three tries on debut was really good.
"Mackenzie Grob played dummy-half for most of the game and I thought she was exceptional too."
He said their "attack was nearly spot on" and wants "more of the same" when they face Armidale Rams who welcomed back into their squad Group 19 custodian Taneika Landsborough and gun outside back Hayley Ford.
"I am not sure how Armidale are going," Hodgson said.
"We have got a few out this week, two of our playmakers.
"There is going to be some different people in different positions this week because the ones that are out, we have got to cover their places but I am pretty sure we will handle it."
Under 18s:
Heading into round one of the Group 19 season, Glen Innes Magpies under-18 coach Gavin Peterson admitted he wasn't even sure if he would have a full team to take on 2018 grand finalists Tingha.
Not only did they get a full team, they beat Tingha 22-10 and Peterson was "pleasantly surprised" at the result.
"I was because not being able to have a chance to have a proper team run, we could only really sit down the day before and pencil down a proper run on side," he said.
"Preparation was way behind where we had been previously so we didn't know what to expect."
Peterson lauded their defensive efforts with the Glen Innes team outweighed by the Tingha forwards.
"Just our attitude in defence was really good," he said.
"They really got up quick and stopped the momentum of their big forwards."
The squad is made up of players from Glen Innes, Tenterfield, Inverell, Ashford and Guyra.
For a lot of the side, it was their first time playing together.
Peterson believes there is plenty of potential within the squad but they have to put in the work.
"If we can work on our combinations in attack and maintain our attitude in defence, I am pretty excited about their chances this year," he said.
"I think after the game they were pretty proud of their efforts and pretty motivated to realise there is an opportunity to get something going.
"We have to keep things under wraps too."
They play Armidale this Sunday who forfeited against Moree at the weekend but Peterson said his team are preparing to play.
A-grade:
The Glen Innes A-grade team landed the third win for the club on Sunday.
The Magpies rocketed out of the blocks early before Narwan clawed their way back into the match.
The home side managed to hold on and land a 36-24 win.
While captain-coach Nick Say credited the side's defence after a few early errors proved costly.
"We got out to an 18-nil lead which was good and then a few mistakes let them back into the game a bit," he said.
"We spoke about not letting them go back-to-back and get on a roll.
"They had a lot of shots at us and our goal line defence was unbelievable."
Say lamented there were scrappy patches but wasn't too displeased with the opening round performance.
"I think it was just the first game of the year, not a lot of footy fitness to be honest," he said.
"There were scrappy patches but we came out of the blocks firing which was good."
Say highlighted a few key players in the win.
"A lot of our older heads stood up really, " he said.
"Jamie Watts, he didn't miss a beat.
"Mep was the same. I think he kicked two 40/20s and his kicking game was outstanding. He had it on a string. He was probably unlucky to not kick another one. All his kicks were spot on and he played good field position which was good."
The Magpies head to Armidale for round two this Sunday.
Say said they will be missing "five or six" from the side who defeated Narwan.