The Cowra Magpies Youth League side will begin their Woodbridge Cup season this Sunday, 3 May, when they host Oberon at Sid Kallas Oval at 11:20am. This will mark their first game of the year against an unknown opponent in what Coach Marc McLeish says is ‘an exciting start to the season’. With little information available on Oberon, the round one clash brings uncertainty, but also strong anticipation from within the team as they prepare to step into the new competition. Coach Marc McLeish said the group has handled the buildup well and is looking forward to finally getting on the field for the season proper. “It’s the guys first game is on the week,” McLeish said. “In terms of our preparation it has been good.” He explained that the unknown nature of their opponent adds a unique challenge for round one. “We're playing an unknown team to us,” he said. “They trialed against Blaney earlier in the year, but we weren't able to get over and have a look to see what they've got.” “We're sort of diving into uncharted territory this weekend, which I find quite exciting.” Inside the team, McLeish said the overall mood has been strong, with players enjoying their training and building good connections with each other. “They're bouncing off the back of the preseason sevens win nicely,” McLeish said. “They're motivated and they're having fun, which is great.” “That's what it's all about.” “They're enjoying each other's company, which is also good.” “Now we've just got to put the polish on things coming into the season proper.” Training has not always been easy, but McLeish said the players have been consistent and committed, particularly as fitness work has increased in preparation for match intensity. “I mean, nobody likes hard training, but they've been doing it, and the fitness levels are getting better,” he said. “But you can train all you like, it's the actual game that makes you stronger and faster.” “Our match fitness will come as the season progresses.” Looking ahead to the match, McLeish expects a physical contest, noting that Oberon is likely to bring a strong and well sized team. “I’m excited for Oberon, by all rights they should field a strong team,” McLeish said. “From what I believe they’re a big team, so we’ve got some work to do and we’ll just play our brand of footy.” When asked about the key areas for round one, McLeish pointed to discipline, defence, and holding onto the ball as the main priorities for his side. “It's ball control and commitment to our defensive line,” he said. “I think if we tackle well and keep the points down, it’s a no brainer.” “It’s stating the obvious, but if we keep their points down and all we’ve got to is hold the ball.” “We’ve got the skill level to score the points, so we just need to keep that ball security in tack, we don’t have to be too flashy.” “We’ve just got to go through our game plan, roll through the motions and stick to the way we want to play the game,” McLeish said. McLeish added that while the offseason has been long, the team is now ready to begin their season and test themselves in competition. “We’re looking forward to the season now, it's been a long, drawn out off season,” he said. “We’re really keen on getting the boys out there for a proper season and to get amongst it now.” As the Magpies prepare for kick off on Sunday morning, the focus now shifts from training grounds to game day, where they will finally get the chance to see how their preparation stacks up in a real contest.
