The Narwan Eels have leapt to the top of the ever-changing Group 19 men's ladder with a win over the Inverell Hawks.
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In a top-of-the-table clash for round seven, Narwan managed to put away Inverell with a strong second-half performance.
"We stayed in the grind," Narwan coach Jay Roberts said of the 32-18 win.
"They stayed with us, they stayed with the pace, they took their opportunities well and dominated in parts.
"They used our weaknesses. When we started slowing up in the ruck, Inverell picked that out and that is how they got their points."
Robert's said the first 40 minutes saw his side become impatient when opportunities were presented to them.
But a positive half-time talk saw the side turn it around.
"It turned into white line fever. There wasn't any patience," Roberts said.
"Other than that, in the second-half we controlled the ball a lot more.
"Everything we did wrong in the first-half, the boys listened to me and fixed all their wrongs and that is why we ran away with it."
Since Roberts began coaching the side, he has aimed to bring more "professionalism" to their approach.
He said it began with the half 2021 season before Covid halted it and continued on to this year.
And he is happy with where they are sitting at the mid-way point of the season.
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"It is starting from Monday night at training," he said.
"We are getting in, we are doing the ugly stuff, getting through our ball work and taking our preparation into game day.
"I think that is where we have failed as an A-grade team in the past.
"We are now looking at it more professionally and a lot my younger players have a got more experience."
But he still wants them to be more consistent.
"We have got to play 80 minutes," he said.
"We are playing patches and that is where sides are catching us out."
They will be hoping to build on that this Saturday in a local derby with the Armidale Rams at Doody Park.
The Rams have had a resurgence of sorts this season and Roberts is expecting a tough match up.
"The Armidale Rams are not what they have been," he said.
"They have come together, are a lot stronger and they are very unpredictable.
"One game they are really good and other games they slump.
"You have got to stay in the game with the Rams, you have got to do the little things.
"You have got to make the Rams earn what they are trying to do otherwise they will dominate the game."
In the league tag match, the Inverell Hawks held the Narwan team out 30-nil.
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