After a three-year absence from the top flight Canberra Raiders Cup, the Yass Magpies showed character but were ultimately outgunned by a solid Woden Rams outfit 36-18 in the season opener.
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Played in front of a big home crowd on Saturday, the Magpies put in plenty of effort but lacked the finesse to match it with their Canberra rivals.
A poor completion rate in the first half didn’t help their cause but it was the speed around the play-the-ball of the Rams that was the difference between the two sides.
Woden raced to a 20-0 lead before Yass hit back with a try to second rower Shaun Davis right on the stroke of half time.
The Rams were quick out of the blocks during the second stanza and midway through the half had a commanding 36-4 lead.
Just when the floodgates looked like opening, the Magpies stemmed the tide, posting three tries to make the final scoreline far more respectable.
It would be fair to say the Magpies were taken a bit by surprise of the speed of the game as the majority of players have been running around in second division competitions over the last few years.
The team will definitely be better for the hit out and there were plenty of positives to work on.
One area of their game that will no doubt be getting a lot of attention is the defence around the rucks.
The Magpies had a lot of trouble slowing down the play-the-ball and consequently there were big gaps for the Rams forwards to motor upfield.
The visitors controlled the centre for the first 60 minutes and consistently had the Magpies forwards back-peddling. Yass also missed ample first up tackles.
That being said, the Magpies showed heart to finish the game positively and I don’t think any of their supporters would have left Walker Park disappointed with the enthusiasm and commitment they showed.
The hosts were rusty and will only get better as the season progresses.
They will also be bolstered in coming weeks by a number of class players who were unavailable due to various reasons.
Best for the Magpies were back rowers Shaun Davis and Josh Hall, who worked all day in the face of adversity.
Former NSW Cup player Kruse Robinson showed promise upfront while skipper Scott Naughton pulled off a couple of great cover tackles to save certain tries.
Fullback Andrew Swaffield and hooker Guy Sherratt also had solid games and deserve a mention.
The side has a bye this weekend before taking on the Goulburn Bulldogs in another home game on April 23.
Woden Rams 36 defeated Yass Magpies 18 [S Davis, G Sherratt, K Robinson, J Smith tries; S Davis conversion].
