Gunnedah Red Devils retain Kookaburra Challenge Cup as tough matches loom

The Devils' 41-12 win over Quirindi last weekend propelled them to the top of the ladder, following a similarly one-sided 57-7 defeat of Scone the weekend before last.

But both of these teams have historically finished near the bottom of the ladder in seasons past. And though Martin said they are capable of producing good rugby, he knows Gunnedah's sternest challenges are yet to come.

"We've had a slower start this year, and that's not to take anything away from Quirindi who have improved a hell of a lot," he said.

"Quirindi and Scone have been on the bottom end of the table the last few years, so I don't want to say we're off to a flyer.

"We've got Moree this weekend who is often in the finals. They wouldn't have played finals last year, but that doesn't mean they haven't got a bigger squad with greater depth."

Starting the season against two of the weaker teams in the competition has, however, given Gunnedah the opportunity to claim and defend the Kookaburra Challenge Cup.

It is a new initiative started by Central North Rugby Union which will see prize money awarded to whichever team holds the cup by the end of the season.

Gunnedah and Scone were the first teams given the chance to play for it, and as the Devils won, they get to defend it until they lose a game, at which point the winner of that clash will then defend the cup in the next round.

Martin is a fan of the new initiative, which he said gives incentive for lower-ranked teams to continue playing hard even when finals are out of reach.

"What I really like about this idea is that it might come to the end of the season where only the top four go through to finals," he said.

"You might have the fifth and sixth-ranked teams playing for the cup, so it gives everyone in the competition something to aim at and hopefully get ahold of.

"It's a good initiative."

While the Kookaburra Challenge Cup is a nice addition to the trophy cabinet for as long as the Devils have it, the coach's real focus is on ensuring the team has gelled properly.

Their lineup so far this year has been inconsistent, which has forced players to play out of position and has slowed the side's cohesion as a whole.

This, Martin said, is something he hopes to address at training this week.

"From week to week, our squad has changed," he said.

"We welcome back five first graders this week, whether or not they walk back into First Grade, or they're on the bench or in Reserve Grade, they're available this week.

"That'll allow us to start looking at some of the structures we'd like to work on, and hopefully the defensive effort is maintained."

Gunnedah will take on Moree this Saturday in First Grade at the Gunnedah Rugby Club from 3.15pm.

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