The Cowra Magpies may have lost their trial match to the Queanbeyan Kangaroos 38-48, but senior men's coach Kurt Hancock took a measured approach in reflecting on the team's performance.
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""We still found a way to score 38 points against a very good side... I was quite pleased with how we used the footy at times," the coach, who is also mentoring the Western Rams' Daley Cup side, said.
The area of particular concern for last year's Group 10 runner-ups?
Defence.
"They took every opportunity that they had. When you play a really good team like that... and your standards aren't there in your defense, you're going to get scores like that," Hancock said.
With both teams generating scores from loose throws and turn-overs, creating a fast paced game, Hancock played down the match's significance in that regard, suggesting that both teams perhaps were thinking about the bigger, more important battles that lay ahead
"The mentality of both sides in defence, was that it was a trial," Hancock observed.
It is something that the coach believes can be resolved with a sharper mind-set.
"Every game that we play from now on in... Our attitude has to be 'that we want to kill,'" he said.
While Cowra has had a mixed pre-season campaign results-wise, with a win to Forbes last week preceded by a Challenge Cup loss to Dubbo CYMS in February, Hancock was pleased with the minutes that he's gotten into players like Ronnie Lawrence, who is making his way back from an off-season knee clean-up.
Furthermore, with Jeremy Gordon set to be absent until round seven or eight with a shoulder injury, the Magpies' coaching panel has also had to throw players around to cover that and other absences in the team's preferred first grade starting line-up.
"We're pretty close to where we want to be... Both times we haven't been at full strength... but obviously the guys who've stepped in have done a really good job," Hancock said.
The team has only one more commitment before commencing their season proper against Mudgee on April 14, the Bathurst Knockout, a tournament that presents an opportunity for the Magpies to refine their defensive focus.
"Traditionally, who ever defends best in the Knockout generally wins it," Hancock observed, adding he's got full confidence in his side ahead of the Group 10 kick-off.
"There's no real issues... We've just got to tidy some things up."
- COWRA MAGPIES 38 (Tries: Lee McClintock, Mitch Browne, Jack Nobes, Claude Gordon, Logan Harris, Warren Williams, Jay McClintock, Goals: Claude Gordon 3, Logan Harris 2) lost to QUEANBEYAN KANGAROOS 48 (Tries: Jeremiah Simbiken 2, Kaine Pagura, Carson Barrett, Ryan Tuckwell, Tre Williams, Reeion Murray, Thomas Williams, Nukurua Ngere Goals: Lachlan Cowper 5, James Ulrick)
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