The Cowra Blues Senior Men’s side produced a strong performance to defeat the Parkes Panthers 48–19, booking their place in the preliminary final.
After a slow start, the Blues found their rhythm in the second quarter, tightening up their tackling pressure and lifting their physicality to control the game.
Co-coach Chris Day said the team needed a spark after a flat opening.
“Pretty good after quarter time,” he said.
“The first quarter we weren’t overly happy with.”
Latest Stories
“It challenged the boys at quarter time to improve and we did,” Day said.
Day identified the team’s shift in hardness at the contest as the key factor in the win.
“Just our hardness at the footy, I think our tackling pressure and our physicality really improved off the quarter time, and I think that’s what won us the match in the end,” he said.
The Panthers tested Cowra early with a tough brand of football.
“Parkes are quality, solid, they come out pretty hard,” Day said.
“That was just about getting the game on our terms, which I think we did after quarter time.”
“It was about playing the game we wanted to play and not getting sucked into the way they were playing, which was the main thing that got us the result,” he said.
For Chris, who is also a player, the most pleasing aspect was how the side responded when under pressure.
“We got challenged in the first quarter especially, it was just pleasing that we responded,” Day said.
“Obviously they came out firing, but the way we responded was the most pleasing thing,” he said.
That resilience will be crucial as the Blues now prepare for a preliminary final clash against Dubbo, a team well known for its strength at home.
“It’s going to be a pretty tough one,” he said.
“We’ve got to play Dubbo in Dubbo, they’re always very strong at home.”
“But we’re going out there pretty confident.”
“I’d say they’ll be looking over their shoulder to see where we’re coming from our game last week.”
“We’re going up there very confident and kind of there to get the win,” Day said.
In training this week, the focus will be on fixing one weakness from the Parkes game.
“Goal-kicking, it wasn’t very good on the weekend,” Day said.
“If we get in the wrong mindset, we’re going to be in trouble.”
“But if we get it right, we’ll give ourselves a special chance of getting the win,” he said.
Heading into such a crucial clash, Day’s message to the group is simple.
“It’s that mindset thing again, just making sure we’re playing the way we want to play,” Day said.
“We’ve been pretty clear with that all year, and it’s not getting sucked into the way the other teams want to play.”
“Same thing if we get challenged again, which I’m sure we will, Dubbo are a quality side.”
“It’s just about responding in the game and coming out firing,” he said.
The Blues now face a big test at the back end of the season but do so with belief, momentum and a united squad ready to take on Dubbo.
