“Back where we need to be”: Coach Packer pleased with Blue Boars effort

Narrabri Rugby Club’s first XV are yet to be beaten during the second half of the season in this year’s Central North Rugby Union campaign, and finals footy will be the Blue Boars’ reward if they can extend their undefeated run to seven matches when they take on Gunnedah Red Devils in round 18 away from home this Saturday.

Narrabri were struggling in seventh at the halfway point of the campaign back in June after they had gone down 42-12 on home soil against the Red Devils in round nine, but since then, the Blue Boars have won four of their six matches and drawn the other two to climb their way into fourth spot.

Third place is definitely no longer a possibility, meaning Narrabri will not have a home game if they do qualify for the finals. However, the chance to defend their 2022 premiership is the main objective.

Narrabri’s first grade fullback and coach Jake Packer thought that last Saturday’s 40-38 win against Pirates in his side’s final home game of the year at Dangar Park highlighted that he and his men have what it takes to push for another premiership in 2023.

When Narrabri had last played the Tamworth side in round eight in June, the Pirates went into the half-time break ahead 21-15. Narrabri was well and truly in the contest, but the home side that day overpowered the Blue Boars in the second stanza as they outscored them 33-7 to race away to a 32-point win.

When they met again in round 17 on Saturday, Narrabri trailed by 15 points with 15 minutes to go but managed to storm home to prevail in a two-point thriller following a resilient comeback effort.

Packer said that getting the job done in that return fixture was pleasing, but he thought it was more about the Blue Boars getting back to their usual selves, rather than highlighting any significant improvement throughout the year.

“I don’t think it’s about how far we’ve come, I just feel it shows that we’re back to what we are and who we are,” Packer said.

“I feel like we lost our identity a bit in the first half of the season.

“I don’t know if it was us being a bit complacent or if it was a bit of fatigue from a big pre-season.

“But now, I just feel like we’re back to the team that I know we are and what won us the premiership the year before.

“We’re back to where we need to be.

“After that Gunnedah loss, it put a lot of spark in the boys going into the second half of the season.

“We knew that we were the best team when we play football, but we had to start doing it and we couldn’t just keep saying we were the best team because we won last year. We had to start putting action to those words and I think we’ve done that in this second half of the season.”

Narrabri are the walking wounded at the moment, with quality players like Tom Nolan, Matt McDonnell, Linton Grumley, Will Turner, Joe Maunder and Toby Knight among those who have been unavailable recently, and another of their teammates joined the injury list on Saturday as Greg Melton broke three ribs early in the contest and will now miss the rest of the season.

However, Packer said that everyone who was stepping up into the side was doing so impressively, especially in the forward pack.

“Especially proud of our forwards again,” he said after the Pirates win.

“It was a big task against Pirates and we unfortunately lost Greg early.

“Our front row were awesome.

“Jed Brennan, Will Ciesiolka and Tom Cameron were phenomenal, considering Tom isn’t a hooker and usually plays second row or back row. He’s filled in at hooker in recent weeks and has done really well.

“We’ve got Sam Knight back, which is a real boost.

“Hamish Nolan did a great job at number eight too. That’s the great thing about our club. When we have guys out, the guys that step up do a great job.”

The Blue Boars are well aware that they can scrape into the finals if they lose this weekend but pick up a bonus point or two and Walcha loses to the Pirates.

However, the focus is now solely on finishing the 2023 campaign with another win, which would also see Narrabri be crowned the Kookaburra Challenge Cup champions.

“We have the same mindset we’ve had since the start of the second round of games, taking it one game at a time, and focusing on that game and on winning. The rest will take care of itself,” Packer said.

“We knew we needed Quirindi to lose, but the mindset wasn’t worrying what happened in their game against Moree, because if we didn’t get the win against Pirates, it didn’t matter.

“We’re in a really good spot and we’re confident. I think teams don’t want to be playing us right now.

“It’d be really nice to get the win too to have had hold of the cup for the whole second round. That would be a big effort, and it’s a good incentive.

“To take home the Kookaburra Cup would be really good.”