Tamworth's renaissance has taken them into uncharted territory.
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Three rounds into the New England season, the Magpies find themselves unbeaten and on top of the table.
It's a long time since they have been in that position beyond the first round, and is a measure of how far they have come in just 12 months.
Making their foray into the competition last season, it took seven rounds to score their maiden win.
On Saturday they made it three-in-a-row for 2019 with a come-from-behind 27-20 win over Armidale.
The game finished in dramatic fashion with the Magpies awarded a penalty try on the bell after outside centre Blake Clout (ditching the bar mat for shoulder pads this week) was ruled to have been impeded by a tackle around the neck area in the act of trying to score.
It was the culmination of some good continuity.
"We had been putting a bit of pressure on them, sucking them into the ruck and got the overlap," Clout said.
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Understandably the mood in the sheds afterwards was a bouyant one.
"It was good, a good feeling," he said.
"There's a little bit to improve on but it was a pretty good game."
As coach Peter Burke had expected, the Blues were a tougher prospect than Barbarians and St Alberts.
The Magpies were for much of the contest playing catch-up but there was never really more than a try between them in what was a tight tussle.
"All the forwards had a good game," Clout said.
"We dominated over the ruck and were getting good clean ball out."
It meant the backs saw plenty of good ball.
"We did miss a few good opportunities but other than that it wasn't too bad," he said.
He said they will take a lot away from the manor of the win, and also the fact that it was away from home.
"It was good to get that win away from the clubhouse," he said.
St Alberts accounted for Barbarians 36-14 in the other game notch their first win.
The competition takes a break this weekend for Easter.
Tamworth sit on top on 14 points, four points clear of defending champions Robb, who had the bye on Saturday and are also unbeaten.
Albies are third on six points, followed by the Blues (2) and Barbarians (0).
