With the second half of the 2016 Group 11 season already upon us, the Forbes Magpies will look at importing their discipline and concentration, after losing two games that could easily have been won.

With round seven being a split round, the Magpies will rest this weekend after playing the first half of round seven last weekend in their 28-22 loss to the Parkes Spacemen, with the teams who rested last weekend playing this weekend.

With round seven yet to be completed, the Magpies currently sit in fourth position on the ladder, however with two extra wins, they could easily have found themselves in outright second position.

These two wins could have come from their matches against Parkes last week, and their match against Nyngan on May 29. They turned on a terrible first half against Nyngan, trailing 30-10 at half time, but came back in the second stanza to lead 32-30. But they then conceded a try in the dying seconds to lose 36-32.

It was the opposite story against Parkes, getting off to a blinding start to lead 18-0, before letting go of their grip and losing 28- 22. Magpies President Greg Grogan said the players would be working their consistency in games. “I think Coach Jake Grace will be looking at their attitude and discipline so the boys can play for the full 80 minutes again,” he said.

“At the end of the pre-season we expected to be in the top three or top four, which is where we are at the moment, but we could easily be in the top two.” Grogan said the rest this weekend was good to allow injured players, including captain/coach Grace, the chance to recover before taking the field again against Dubbo Westside in round eight on June 26.

While Westside hasn’t had the greatest season to date, Grogan said it would be important for the Magpies not to get too complacent. He added that his side would be boosted by the return of more players from injury, however.

By Joshua Matic.

Both Red Bend Catholic College Opens and Fifteens teams had convincing wins recently in the Western Final of the Country Cup. The opens had a big 40-4 win over St Johns. Always in control they showed some great combinations in attack and defence.

The Man of the Match was the versatile Jye Dillon who started in the centres and ended up in the front row. The Fifteens scored the first try, however St Johns (Dubbo) fought back strongly, with the College leading 10-6 at half time.

The second half saw the Red Bend team show some great teamwork in scoring four great tries to eventually run out winners 30-6. The Man of the Match was
half back Thomas Toohey. The College has a proud history in the Country Cup winning the Opens and Under Thirteens age division twice previously, while the Opens were runners-up in the final last year. The teams now travel to Cootamundra next term on the 28th of July for the Southern Finals, where they will play the winners from the Riverina, Wollongong, Canberra and South Coast regions.

The Country Cup is run by the Country Rugby League (CRL) and the NRL. It is an All Schools Event for Country Schools (State Catholic Private) that is contested in three age divisions under 13’s and 15’s, and Opens Schools
attend regional gala days with the winners progressing through to regional finals. Winners of the region then progress through to play in the Southern or Northern Finals from here the Southern and Northern winners play the State Final.

Three of our young local rugby league players, Mitchell Andrews, Matt Nicholson and Charlie Staines, were selected into NSW Country Representative teams after playing= in the grand finals of the AAMI Country Championships in Tamworth on the weekend. Mitchell Andrews, along with five of his Western Rams U/18’s team mates were selected in the NSW U/18’s Country side that will compete in Perth later in the year in a curtain raiser to the Manly v’s Warriors clash. The U/18 Western Rams had success in the lead up to the grand final under the watchful eye of local coach, Cameron Greenhalgh, but were unable to overcome the strength of the Bidgee Bulls on the day. The U/16 Western Rams had a closer finish against the Greater Northern Tigers, tied at 12 all with just 20 seconds to go the
Tigers scored to take claim the trophy. The loss in the grand final did not deter selectors from naming six of the Rams in the NSW U/16’s Country Team including two of Forbes’ own, Matt Nicholson and Charlie Staines.

Both players and their families were elated with their selections and excited at the prospect of being coached by former NRL player, Andrew Ryan, before travelling to Samoa in October. Both boys have schoolboy representative commitments at Red Bend Catholic College for Matt and Forbes High School for Charlie along with club commitments at Red Bend Junior Rugby League and Forbes Magpies Junior Rugby League that they will coordinate with the extra representative schedule. Matt has also signed with St George for 2017 and will continue to put in the hard yards with the hope of turning his passion into a career.

The Forbes Magpies will turn their attention to the Parkes Nines tournament this weekend after defeating Bathurst St Patricks 38-16 in the Brendan Collits Memorial Cup. It was a brave effort by all players who took to the field, with the mercury reaching a sweaty 37 degrees.

But with the temperature only expected to hit 26 degrees on Saturday for the Parkes tournament, Magpies President Greg Grogan said it wouldn’t be as exhausting for the players. “It was ridiculous how hot it was last Saturday [against Bathurst],” he said. “The players did so well to get through
that and play how they did, and hopefully it’ll be much cooler at the Nines in Parkes.”

“Jake Grace [Magpies coach] will take a squad of 15 over there, and whilst Nines is a completely different form of the game, it’ll be a good test of fitness and keeping possession.”

The Magpies will need to win at least two games to make the Parkes Nines finals, and will be confident after showing great form at the West Wyalong knockout competition a fortnight ago, and the Brendan Collits Memorial Cup last week.

They raced out to a 26-4 half time lead in the heat against Bathurst St Patricks at Spooner Oval, and showed plenty of ability with the ball and their fitness levels. The game was played in 20-minute quarters due to the heat, and finished with a jersey auction in the clubhouse after full time.

Grogan said coach Grace was happy with the effort his players put in. “It was very hot, but the players dug deep and got through it pretty well. It was a hard
game, but it was played in good spirit. Both teams had some players out to injury too,” he said.

The Magpies wore a one-off jersey during the game that commemorated the late Brendan Collits, and auctioned these off after the game as a fundraiser. “The Bathurst boys were good enough to buy a few, and we thank them for their generosity.

They said they would use them in their new clubhouse that is getting built,” Grogan said. The curtain-raising women’s league tag match between Forbes and Bathurst was abandoned due to serious injury. A Bathurst player was airlifted to hospital after falling awkwardly upon scoring a try, but is reportedly in a good condition.

By Joshua Matic

The Forbes Magpies have turned their attention to the annual Brendon Collits Memorial Cup after a solid outing at the West Wyalong knock-out competition last weekend.

In 2013 former Magpies player Collits was tragically killed in a car accident while on his way to training, and since the incident, the fixture has been played in his memory.

They will play Bathurst in the game, and should enter it with plenty of confidence after almost taking the West Wyalong competition. After losing to the Young Cherrypickers 22-12 last Friday night, they beat the Queanbeyan Kangaroos 8-6, before losing to Gundagai 14-10 in extra time after the
scores were locked at 10-a-piece at fulltime.

Gundagai went on to win the grand final in the next match. Magpies President Greg Grogan said the side played well in its first hit-out of the year.

“They played very well considering they’re only a young side,” he said. “We had a few injuries, but the competition [Group 11] doesn’t start until the end of
April, so they should be alright.” “It was only a trial though. The competition-
it’s a long year, and anything can happen.” Jake Grace is captaining and coaching the side this year.

The side will field a very strong forward pack this year, with Grace joined by Zack Merritt, Ben Robinson, Ben McGuire, and Ethan Gaffney. The backline is not too much more unformidable either, with Matt Roylance, Carl Johnston, Mitch Bourke, Mitch Andrews and Patrick Murphy steering the team
around the paddock.

Grogan said the club would look at moving forward from a great year last year, when it won the Club of the Year award for having all four grades represented in the semi finals. “Everybody made the semis which was a great achievement,” he said.

“Hopefully we can improve in the first grade side so we last a bit longer in the
finals. But the main thing is to improve and keep competitive. That’s what the supporters want to see.”