The Greater Northern Tigers' under-16 and under-18 sides have recorded impressive wins in second-round Country Championship matches against the Newcastle Knights at Scone Park on Saturday.
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The Steve Haylen-coached Tiger 16s were first to go and won their Andrew Johns Cup match 40-10. Then the Peter Stevens-coached 18s started well, leading 12-nil, before winning their Laurie Daley Cup match 18-16.
In the early game, Inverell centre Campbell Watchirs starred, crossing for three impressive tries and claiming the side’s players' player award.
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Prop Mark Simon and hooker Sam Fechner both scored twice while Jordan Leota came off the bench to also score a good try.
“I was very, very happy with the boys,” Tigers coach Steve Haylen said.
“It was a massive improvement from last week (a win over Central Coast). Our ball security was amazing. We had an 83 per cent completion rate.
"(We) had just three incomplete sets and gave away six penalties. Everything went well. The boys talked about what they had to do and then went out and did it. I’m tickled pink.”
In the under-18 clash, the Tigers bounced back from their first-round loss to the Central Coast with a two-point win over the Newcastle Knights that Tigers coach Peter Stevens described as a “massive gutsy effort”.
“It’s the first time in a while we’ve beaten the Knights," Stevens said. “It took a huge gutsy effort defensively to win. The attitude and effort was outstanding.”
He thought Narrabri prop Kalab McMillan was outstanding. Hooker Clay Frendin and centre Cooper Harris also earned his plaudits while Brayden Reid won the players' player award.
The Tigers play Parramatta at Pirtek Park, Singleton in third- round under-16 and under-18 clashes
Andrew Johns Cup:
Greater Northern Tigers 40 (Campbell Watchirs 3, Mark Simon 2, Sam Fechner 2, Jordan Leota tries, Daltyn McCartney 4 goals) d Newcastle Knights 10 (Riley Cullen, Tobias Hatcher tries, Liam Browne goal).
Laurie Daley Cup:
Greater Northern Tigers: 18 (Mackenzie Shepherdson, Brayden Reid, Sam Wentworth tries, Steven Dengate 3 goals) d Newcastle Knights 16 (Cohan Geelan 2, Sam Robinson, Dean Langdon tries)
