There were mixed results for Group 4 at the Country Championships in Port Macquarie this weekend.
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Only the under-14 side advanced to Sunday and a third match, but both them and Group 4's under-15 side had their moments.
On Saturday, under-14 coach Pat Lawler said they played a "really, really strong" Group 3 side and lost 34-0, but rebounded in their second game on Saturday - beating Group 18 26-20 in a "tough game".
"And today [Sunday] we played Maitland and the boys were just buggered after those first two games ... We just ran out of juice," he said.
Maitland won 26-12.
"So we won one out of two. That's really good for these kids," he said.
"This weekend, for us, is a learning curve for next year. I think they all realise what a tough competition it is."
In their first match, the under-15s led 18-6 and then 18-12 at half-time against a strong Group 3 outfit, before losing 34-18.
Under-15 coach Paul Boyce said his charges "played some really good footy" in the first half against Group 3 - "probably the best footy the boys have played over the last two years".
"And then in the second half, little errors started to creep in and sort of cost us," he said, adding: "They lifted their intensity in the second half and we just couldn't match it."
In their second game, the under-15s were beaten 16-4 by Central Coast.
Boyce said his side played "two really strong teams".
"Our boys have certainly improved, and I think it's gonna put them in good stead for trialling for the Greater Northern Tigers next year," he said.
Central Coast won the under-14 tournament, while Group 3 and Maitland were scheduled to meet in the under-15 final.
