After their first trial match resulted in a loss to the Wingham Tigers, Dungowan captain-coach Brett Jarrett told Group 4 media it was "a good kick up the bum for us".
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Ahead of this weekend's practice run against a combined Walcha-Uralla side, the Cowboys have left no stone unturned in their preparation.
"We were probably a little bit underdone in terms of match practice [against Wingham]," Jarrett told the Leader.
"We've worked on a couple of things in the last few sessions and we've got a bit more experience coming back this weekend, so that'll help everyone around them."
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With the likes of Jack Cameron, Matt Wilson, and Brandon Parry back in their ranks, Dungowan will have much more experience to rely on when they travel to Walcha on Saturday.
Since that first trial, the Cowboys have "ramped up" their training and are "definitely" where Jarrett hoped they would be by this point.
The team's focus this weekend will be on ensuring they nail down their fundamentals: set completion, running the right lines, and improved defence are all boxes Jarrett wants to tick.
But more than that, with the women's league tag side also in action, he hopes it will be a "good club event" that helps build anticipation for the season and camaraderie between the players.
"They're the things that Dungowan thrives off, the back of these sorts of trips," Jarrett said.
"It's a good way to get that team spirit and club spirit going before the season starts."
Their adverse result in the first trial has not in any way punctured the Cowboys' hopes for the year.
Given their results in 2022, with a premiership in the league tag to go with grand final berths in first and reserve grade, the feeling among the club is purely excitement as they look to produce more success in 2023.
"We're very positive," Jarrett said.
"The club's buoyant after a successful year last year. We had every grade make the semis ... to have three other grades make grand final day and host the grand finals got everyone pretty keen to go one better this year."
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