The two sides split the honours with the Magpies scoring a bellringer to sneak home in the first game 17-12.

The Blues got their revenge though in the second game running out 17-nil victors after Anastacia Martin had streaked away to score virtually from the kick-off.

Hamilton praised the heart of his players to win that first game.

The Blues jumped out an early lead but the Magpies fought back to level at 12-all before producing the "biggest effort" he said he has seen this season to score the match-winner after full-time.

"It was probably more than 10 phases back and forth. It was down to willpower for that last try," he said with the players "spent".

That did take a toll in the second game and was compounded by a couple of injuries. They had one player that copped a head knock in the first game so didn't play. Another couple of their younger players were backing up from playing three games on Friday night and battling niggling injuries.

The fatigue led to them making mistakes. Passes weren't sticking or they were going behind the player, and they struggled to find their rhythm.

They didn't help their cause either by playing to the strengths of a very physical Blues side. Rather than moving the ball to space they wanted to try and take them up the middle.

"It was a good learning curve for them early in the season," Hamilton said.

He thought Paige Leonard had a "cracking game" for them in the centres - tackling, defence wise and attack wise. Jessica Slade was also strong for them in the centres.

"I think our strength was in our centres, who put up a good contest in the scrum and over the ruck," he said.

Blues co-coach George Soli couldn't have been happier with how they performed.

Bar one trial game Saturday was their first hit-out since the Armidale Knockout in March, and in the case of some of the newer players their first game of competitive rugby.

"We were really happy with how we started first half in the first game. We were unlucky not to be able to hold on," he said.

One of the things he was particularly impressed with was the way after identifying from the first game what they needed to do in the second game they went out and did it.

Their execution was better, their ability to spread the ball and hold onto it a real feature.

As was their defence, as the scoreboard reflects.

"There was some really good cover defence and some really good shots," Soli said.

"Arguably the best shot of the day came in women's game, by the youngest person on the field (Martin)."

In the other games the Barbets bounced back from their opening round losses to Pirates in emphatic style beating St Alberts 24-5 and 50-nil.