The Narrabri Eagles’ AFL Nines mixed competition began last night with four matches played at Hogan and Leitch Ovals.

The competition has attracted seven teams which include a mixture of males and females from many Narrabri sporting teams and clubs including the Eagles.

The seven teams include The Bri Hards, Goal Diggers, The Crows, Narrabri Magpies, Bellata Yabbie Club, The Bald Eagles and Devon Sangas.

The Bri Hards played two games on the night, both of which it won. It defeated Goal Diggers 50-20 in its first match played at Leitch Oval, then backed up to go head-to-head with Devon Sangas at Hogan Oval in a second game which it won 39-7.

In the other 6pm game, The Crows defeated Narrabri Magpies 36-7 at Hogan Oval, then in the other 6.40pm game, Bellata Yabbie Club overcame The Bald Eagles 46-22 at Leitch Oval.

Narrabri Eagles club president Tom Carberry said the night ran smoothly without any hiccups.

“It all ran smoothly and everything went to plan,” Carberry told The Courier.

“I was a bit nervous at the start but it all went really well.

“There were no bad reports from the umpires or anything like that.

“I’m very happy with the outcome of the night and hopefully the rest of the season will be the same.”

Carberry described the on-field environment for all four games as competitive and fun.

“It was competitive but everyone had a lot of fun,” Carberry said.

“A lot of people were still learning the rules.

“A fair few people had been going down to training, then going from that to an actual game environment they caught on pretty well.

“What I saw from The Bri Hards, they played two games, and by the second game they were working a lot better as a team.

“So over the next few nights I’m expecting everyone’s going to start gelling a lot more and skills are going to start picking up and it will be a very tight competition.”

Carberry said that as a club the Narrabri Eagles were pleased to welcome so many people from other sports to the Australian rules environment.

“It was great to showcase AFL to the community,” the Eagles’ president said.

“It’s not the most popular sport in the community but we got people down there from all walks of life and a variety of different sports.

“It was great to see them come along and join in the great sport of AFL.”

The Eagles were ‘ecstatic’ to have signed up seven teams for the competition according to Carberry, who said a big reason for that was the club’s players creating their own teams and inviting along others from outside the club to join in.

“The Eagles boys loved it, they were very happy,” Carberry said.

“They were very proud of their teammates who aren’t from AFL backgrounds just get in and have a go and have fun.”

Carberry said that he was pleased with all players’ cooperation on the night in regards to following the COVID-safe procedures which were put in place to allow the competition to go ahead.

Round two will be contested on Friday night. In the 6pm games, Goal Diggers will take on The Crows at Leitch Oval, while the Narrabri Magpies challenge Bellata Yabbie Club a short walk away at Hogan Oval. In the 6.40pm games, The Bald Eagles will meet Devon Sangas at Leitch Oval, while The Bri Hards play The Crows which will be backing up from their 6pm game.

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