Cowra Magpies coach Rory Brien will focus on improving his side’s ability to score points following a 36-14 defeat against Young Cherrypickers on Sunday.
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In their first hit out of the season, there was positives taken from the match, Brien said, but he wants to see a more slick performance in two weeks at the Bathurst Knockout.
Despite conceding 36 points, Brien was mostly pleased with Cowra’s tackling in a match where they were slightly depleted.
“I thought our defence was really good. I was happy with that, we had a focus on winning tackles and I thought we did that really well,” Brien said.
“They were a pretty strong side. We were a bit short on forwards, we weren’t completely under strength but we still got a few to come into the side.”
Played on a hot afternoon over 20 minute quarters at Sid Kallas Oval, the Magpies worked tirelessly in the heat but the weather took its toll on executing attacking plays.
“Some times we looked a bit tired and got a bit lost. It was really bad weather to play footy, it was humid I was more than happy to be on the sideline,” Brien said.
“We need to keep working on attack now.”
Brien is still undecided on who will fill the key roles in the halves and at fullback with the start of the Group 10 season only four weeks away.
New signing Cameron Picker played half-back and looked comfortable in the Magpies environment, and he shapes as a key player for Brien in his pursuit of improved execution in attack.
Picker was one of the Magpies best on Sunday, according to Brien, and could combine with Cameron Breust – who didn’t feature in the trial – in the halves come round one.
Brien is weighing up his options and will wait till see where potential half Warren Williams wants to play, having given the star Magpie the option of playing from 1 to 13.
“It depends on what Warren [Williams] wants to do, I’ve given Warren the choice of playing where he wants. We need Warren to fire, if he fires Cowra will fire,” Brien said.
“Cameron Picker looked good in the halves. We had some good shape on some of our plays. I’m thinking he’ll play five-eight or full-back.”
Brien will get a better indication of how the Magpies are shaping up after the Bathurst Knockout in a fortnight.
He hopes to have a full-strength outfit.
Meanwhile, both the under 18s and league tag sides made positive starts to 2017 with solid performances in their respective trials.
Brien, who took the role of league tag coach on Sunday, praised the Magpies’ girls.
“They had a bit of fun which is what you want to see. They were very good.
“The 18s looked sharp as well.”
