Hard to believe but we're already half-way through the Central North regular season. Ahead of the second round kicking off this weekend we reached out to the respective coaches for their thoughts on how they're travelling and what they're looking for in the second round.
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How would you assess your first half of the season?
Jack Travers (Moree - 1st): For us it went pretty well. We were successful but we've got a long way to go still and we know that the other clubs are going to get much stronger as the season goes on.
Craig Gleeson (Narrabri - 2nd): As a club we are happy with our position on the table. With four of our first six games away, to be sitting in second is a good outcome heading into the second half of the season. We have had quite a few injuries throughout the first round which has caused some disruption and probably had an impact on our continuity. In saying that when the games have been there to win the boys have stood up for each other and performed very well.
Jack Jack (Inverell - 3rd): It's incredible that the first half of the season has already passed, I'm still trying to get my head around it. We've had our ups and downs, but extremely happy with our group.
Jack Walsh (Pirates - 4th): The first half of our season has been challenging in regards to the draw with so many weekends without rugby. But, being able to keep the playing group together we are sitting in good stead moving into the second round. We have played some great rugby and have some things we want to focus on moving into the second round.
Jack Parfitt (Quirindi - 5th): I said to the players at the end of the first half of the season that where we currently are on the ladder does not reflect where we are as a team. We have a team that can beat any team in this competition. The issue is we always seem to fall just short by a point or two. This is reflected in our for and against. We have pushed all the big teams and I do believe with a few tweaks we will sneak into finals at the end of the season. I'd rate them 6/10.
James Perrett (Gunnedah - 6th): It's been a season of near misses for us so far, winning one from six with one draw and three losses by less than a try, two of them pretty much on full time. If we won two of those near losses, and the draw, we'd be sitting in second, not second last. But alas there have been plenty of positives out of the season so far. The boys have been working really hard and improving with every match.
Hammond Brownlee (Scone - 7th): We have seen significant improvement across the board from last year. We have made some changes to our structure which has taken time to adjust to as a playing group so it has been a lot of learning through the first half of the season.
Who are the players that have really stood up for you?
Jack Travers: Captain Dunc Woods has had a great start to the season leading by example yet again. Asesela Ravuvu has been great as well, he's been scoring a lot of tries. Lachie Elworthy has been great and so has Ian Ranger.
Craig Gleeson: Our forward pack, particularly our front row have been strong all year. Sam Spanton gives us a quality 80 minutes each week. Then we have our entire back five getting through a lot of work. Charlie Turner and Jake Rumsby coming into first grade this season have been very effective, then you look at the likes of Josh Schwager, Nick Anderson and Jack Maunder and what they can do on both sides of the ball. Willo McDonnell has been outstanding and often gets overlooked because I think the expectation with him is that he will perform to such a high standard every time he pulls the jersey on. And although he got injured early on against Qurindi and missed the Pirates game Joe Baker has been really good at 13.
Jack Jack: To be honest, the whole group are showing some potential. I'm hoping that we can grow as a team together, and finish our season with every player enjoying and loving their footy.
Jack Walsh: All 15 players have been impressive, with effort levels and attitude all playing a part. Both the forwards and backs have been good in their own right and will be looking at continuing to build moving forward.
Jack Parfitt: Hamish Dunbar is a natural leader through his work ethic on the field and as a result has the respect of all the players. He puts his hand up time after time and Quirindi as a club is fortunate to have him. Lachie Bradfield is also having an awesome breakout season in first grade. Having spent numerous years playing 9/10 in reserve grade, he has started the majority of games this year in first grade and is really proving himself to be a genuine first grader. Having played 9 and 15 for first grade he is improving week after week and only getting better as he goes.
James Perrett: There have been a lot of people who have stood up for us at different times this season. I have had to put a few players in positions they don't normally play and they have done a great job there. We have been really focusing on working as a unit or as one team not as individual players, which we can see in the way we are playing for each other.
Hammond Brownlee: Aside from the existing senior leaders like Josh Wale and Dom Moran who lead from the front, it's the younger leaders within the group who have really stood up this year. Zac Miller is developing into a strong player after making the switch to rugby. His understanding of the game has grown and he has developed into one of the club's key leaders. Darcy Moore is another young player that played Central North recently who has stood up on and off the field.
What areas of your game have you been most impressed with?
Jack Travers: We've had some close games and\ by no means have we been looking like we were going to win them, but the boys have found a way to get the result. That's really big for us, especially where we've come from. Two or three years ago that wouldn't have happened.
Craig Gleeson: Our front row has been immense and obviously that goes hand in hand with having a very good scrum. Our structures for the most part have been really good and when we put together multiple phases of our big bodies carrying the ball over the advantage line we are very effective at releasing the backs with some potency.
Jack Jack: We are working a fair bit on finding players' positions, shifting them around depending on who is available. How they adjust and build combinations quick enough to play as a team that has impressed me a lot.
Jack Walsh: Attitude and focus. To be better from 1-15 has been something we have been speaking about and will again be something we will concentrate on in the second round.
Jack Parfitt: The ability we have as a team to turn a bad situation into a good one is something that always impresses me with Quirindi. The boys seem to have the knack of somehow getting a turnover on their try line and then scoring a try down the other end 20 seconds later. Also being one of, if not the smallest teams in the competition, the defensive mentality of both grades. We seem to have a really strong defensive mindset in the club and that is something that always impresses me.
James Perrett: Our defence (most games) and our ability this season to really implement what we do at training in the games. It's great the players are starting to believe in what we are doing and starting to see the success it can have on the field.
Hammond Brownlee: Our rugby IQ has seen a marked improvement from previous years and that's predominantly due to Scotch Hatch coming onboard to drive a change in how we play and develop the players individually.
What do you feel are the biggest areas for improvement?
Jack Travers: There's lots of little areas but we just need to keep building on what we've got. All the other teams are improving and a lot of clubs are playing a different style this year, which is good. We just need to keep evolving.
Craig Gleeson: Our game management and communication is an ongoing focus for us, particularly building phases, respecting the ball in contact and being more decisive within our red zone. Our execution and effectiveness at the breakdown is also pivotal to our success.
Jack Jack: We are working very hard on our set piece. That is something we have lacked in the last few years but I believe we can do better. All the players' understanding the game, and also building momentum.
Jack Walsh: Improvement for us is the small things. As long as everyone is focused on the one percenters; if we are lazy on one of those things then we learn from it and better ourselves.
Jack Parfitt: Our set piece in particular needs some work. We spoil too many opportunities when we are in a great attacking position through poor set piece.
James Perrett: Our biggest work on is probably our option taking, and backing ourselves when something presents itself. There is no point in being able to see something if you don't back your ability to pull it off. I'll never get upset if someone has a crack and it doesn't come off. I'll get upset if they see something and don't try it.
Hammond Brownlee: A big focus for us has been breaking down some of the basics, and relearning them, such as the breakdown. We still need to improve but we have already seen a marked improvement.
What games do you see as the biggest for you in the second round?
Jack Travers: I honestly think all of them. It's a really good comp in that everyone's really close and anyone can beat anyone on any day. We start with Narrabri. It's their 60th weekend and we've drawn with them two years in-a-row down there.
Craig Gleeson: The first match of the second round for us as a club is massive. It is always a big occasion Narrabri v Moree but add to that the fact this year is our 60th anniversary weekend and it is 1 v 2 on the table should make for an outstanding day of rugby. Qurindi away will be a tough road trip and Pirates at home in the last round will be a good lead in to what will hopefully be finals footy. When you look at the competition there are no cheap weekends, every team is more than capable of producing a performance to win matches so you need to prepare the same for each weekend to get consistent results.
Jack Jack: After the first half of the season we know every game is crucial to us. Even though we had some wins, they weren't runaway victories.
Jack Walsh: All of them, every week is an opportunity for us to better ourselves and we will be approaching every game as a must win.
Jack Parfitt: All the games are big!. Any team in this comp can turn any team on their given day. It is great to see a competitive competition where no week is an easy week. We know as a club where we want to be at the end of the season and to be there every game is a BIG game where we need to show up and do the job as it should be done.
James Perrett: We have some hard games in the second half of the season and some must win clashes starting this weekend with Pirates away. The other two massive, and I believe must wins, will be Narrabri away and Inverell away. Hopefully we can start taking care of business a bit better too at our home games.
Hammond Brownlee: I think the boys will enjoy hosting Moree and Pirates down here in Scone. A few of our boys got the opportunity to play alongside some the other clubs' players during the country champs and I'm sure will be looking forward to catching up again on the field. It's always a great physical game between both clubs.
