Ask Jack Littlejohn and he says Mudgee's Bathurst Knockout victory is just the beginning.
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The Dragons took out the annual pre-season tournament with an 18-10 win over Orange Hawks in Saturday's decider and the club's new captain-coach is confident the red and whites' impressive trial form will translate into regular season success too.
"We're definitely going to get better the more games we play together," the former Manly and Wests Tigers half said.
"(The knockout was) the first time I've played against a lot of the Group 10 sides and I think we performed well, there's still a lot of room to improve.
"It's still really good to get the result."
Mudgee knocked off Blayney 24-0 in their first game before taking care of Orange CYMS in the semi-final and then Willie Heta's two blues by eight points in the final.
The classy half says his combination with Tim Condon in the halves is coming along while the whole spine was a highlight for him at the knockout.
Littlejohn also liked the look of returning prop Tom Shearman at Bathurst and says having the new faces gel with the rest of the squad is crucial at the club battles a few injuries and suspensions to start 2019.
Chanse Burgess and Nathan Orr (both suspension) are out ahead of this Sunday's opening round of the Group 10 season against Cowra.
The Dragons mentor says although at home at Glen Willow to star the year Mudgee's opening round assignment will be a tough one.
He said the key was keeping it simple.
"I think just this early in the season all about completion rate and turning the ball over in the right areas so you're not doing a heap of defence and blowing out," Littlejohn said.
"We've all done as much fitness as we can but we need that game fitness now."
Mudgee's competition this weekend, Cowra, had a far more difficult Knockout, with both their first grade and reserves teams bundled out in the first round of the competition.
The two teams will kick off their 2019 Group 10 seasons on Sunday afternoon at Glen Willow Sporting Complex.
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Nick McGrath
Editor, Central Western Daily
Editor, Central Western Daily
