THE Nyngan Tigers have given the first indication they may be a force to be reckoned with in Group 11 this year with a trial win over Macquarie on Sunday.
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But it was not all doom and gloom for the Raiders with the new-look squad showing plenty of positive signs in their first proper hit-out under coach Steve McLellan.
McLellan mixed up his first and reserve grade sides with those who had made the effort in pre-season training granted a starting spot in the day's main game.
Nyngan, also featuring a number of new faces, capitalised late on when the Raiders lost Norm Button to a send off as they won 30-12.
"I didn't walk away disappointed," McLellan said.
"Most of their points were scored late and it was hot.
"We treated it as what it was, a trial match."
While not reading too much into the match, McLellan was taking nothing away from Nyngan's performance.
With Group 11 half Jacob Neill steering the side around and some new faces in key positions, the Tigers are much like the Raiders in that they are keen to return to the Group 11 finals after missing out last season.
"I've got a high opinion of Jacob Neill, I remember him coming through the juniors here and then going off to the Dragons," McLellan said.
"Their seven and six were very good and they've picked up a couple of players and they were good, we're taking nothing away from them."
McLellan, who was not normally one to single players out, took time to praise Darryl Kemp, Steven Leaske and Phil Combridge for their efforts in the match.
With the regular halves unavailable, Kemp impressed with ball in hand while young guns Leaske and Combridge proved once again they could handle top flight Group 11 competition.
"They really stood up and two of those guys are only in their first year out of 18s," the coach said.
"I saw enough to make me happy and some young guys put their hands up."
Elsewhere in the first round of official trials, Forbes defeated Parkes in a high-profile clash at Spooner Oval.
Much is expected of the Magpies this season with Group 11 player Jake Grace taking over the reins as captain coach and the likes of Mitch Bourke and Michael Mitchell joining the side.
And they proved too strong for the runners-up of the past two years, winning the match 38-18.
In some positive news for the Spacemen, a number of their younger players performed well while captain-coach Dennis Moran is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a snapped Achilles and could even be back on the field within six weeks.
It was not all positive for the Cobar Roosters at the weekend though, with the club's first grade and reserve grade sides having to forfeit to the Narromine Jets.
