![Last year's Central North under-21s player of the year Felix Cobb-Johnson was dynamic out wide for Narrabri against Roma yesterday. Last year's Central North under-21s player of the year Felix Cobb-Johnson was dynamic out wide for Narrabri against Roma yesterday.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/aebccfe5-4379-494f-9243-66a9396de5af.JPG/r989_922_6016_4010_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Narrabri coach Jake Packer couldn't have been more impressed with his side's first hit-out for the season.
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The defending Central North premiers looked far from a side that hadn't played for over four months as they took on the Roma Echidnas as part of the opening day of the Santos Festival of Rugby at Narrabri on Friday.
The Blue Boars came out firing, Will McDonnell, Jydon Hill and Felix Cobb-Johnson making a deadly combination on the left as they ran in three tries inside the first 10 minutes.
Playing like a well-oiled machine, they led 31-nil at the first break (the game was played in thirds) before pushing out to 52-nil by the final whistle in a game played in hot conditions.
"It looked good, I'm very impressed," Packer said.
"We had a really good opposed session with NSW Country [Thursday] last night and I was very impressed with that so I thought we'd come out and hopefully pick up where we left off last year, which we did."
Particularly the backs. They looked very slick with the pace of the likes of Cobb-Johnson and Toby Knight on the wings a real handful for the Echidnas.
One of the other impressive aspects for Packer was their combinations with a few new faces this year.
"We're really gelling quite quickly which is really good," he said.
Two of the 'new faces' to really stand up were a couple of not so unfamiliar faces.
Jacob Booby is back after having a year away from union while Greg Melton had his first run after returning to town and looks like he's going to be a big asset for them if he can get through the pre-season unscathed.
Packer also noted the impact they got from the bench.
"We're building a side and building a club that it doesn't matter with the reserves coming off the bench, we don't lose anything," he said.
It's now back to the training paddock until late next month. They have St Alberts and then head over to Coffs Harbour.
There will be plenty more for the locals to cheer about on Saturday night with young Blue Boars star Martha Harvey to start at half-back for the NSW Waratahs in their Super W trial with Queensland.
The region will have a strong presence with Pirates co-captain Rosie Ferguson named at 13 for the second half side and Bingara's Brooke McKinnon at five-eighth.
Former Warialda High student Tiarna Molloy and Inverell product Tina Campbell will meanwhile line up for the Reds.
Erika Maslen has also been named to make her debut for the Brumbies in their trial against the Rebels in Wagga Wagga.