The best thing Narrabri coach Jake Packer had to say about their game against St Alberts on Saturday was that they won.
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The Blue Boars hosted the students in their annual clash for the Hannaford-Southwell Shield as part of a big day of rugby at Dangar Park with Walgett also coming over.
But while they made it three straight triumphs, after winning in 2021 and 2022, Packer wasn't overly impressed by the Blue Boars performance.
It was lacklustre and clunky.
That wasn't to take anything away from Albies, who he said "played really well".
But he isn't concerned. It might have been just the wake-up they needed.
"As much as it was not that good of a game, I think it was the perfect game for us," Packer said.
"I talked about it with the boys. I think it's something that we needed because when you win a premiership you can come into the next season and be a bit complacent or a bit over confident.
"I'm not saying that we were but I think it really humbled us that game and made us realise that we need to make sure that we actually commit to the training and get those structures right."
Numbers haven't been great to training and it wasn't until maybe Thursday afternoon that, he said, they actually got a team for Saturday sorted.
The conditions also didn't make things easy. It was windy, wet and slippery.
The lone positive was that despite not playing well they were still able to eke out the win. Their will to win was something he often remarked on last season.
"What I got out of it was, all these things we can coach; the structure, the techniques, the skills, but what you can't coach players and teams is that will to win and that will to fight to the last second," he said.
"We proved on Saturday that we'll do that."
They have another hit-out this Saturday against the Coffs Harbour Snappers over on the coast.
"We have a few things that I want to run and I want to run them this weekend so we can see how they go and if they work, and if they don't what we sort of need to tinker with," Packer said.
One of the reasons he didn't on Saturday was the importance with which they hold the Hannaford-Southwell Shield. It is honour of former Blue Boar Brad Hannaford and his girlfriend Felicity Southwell, who were tragically killed in a car accident in 2006.
"We don't really treat that as a pre-season game," Packer said.
"It's a full-on game for us, where as this weekend, obviously I always want to win, but I will be a bit more lenient in wanting them to try a few things and see how they go."
"It'll give us a good look at what we need to do for the next few weeks leading into the comp."
The Blue Boars have the first round bye in first grade and are then away to Walcha.
