Group 11 2018: Youthful Tigers preparing for ‘red-hot crack’ at glittering Cowboys outfit: Neill

Thrust with the Nyngan captain-coach’s job at the 11^th hour after attempts to fill the role with a high profile appointment hit stumbling blocks on two separate occasions, the experienced Tigers half knows the 2018 season is going to be a tough one.

The black and golds will be without last year’s coach, ex-NRL back Stewart Mills and veteran prop Todd Rope, to name a few, while the rest of the Group 11 competition has seemingly gone from strength-to-strength.

The gap between the group’s best and the group’s worst is closing, and suddenly finishing 2017 as grand finalists doesn’t mean a whole lot anymore.

“But we’re up for the challenge,” Neill said ahead of his side’s opening round clash with one of those vastly improved sides, Wellington.

The two play at Larkin Oval on Sunday.

“It’s a credit to Wellington and Aiden Ryan, he’s stuck it out in the tough times and now they’ve recruited well and they’ve got a local guy like Justo (Toomey-White) back as well,” Neill continued.

“Good on them, their recruits will boost them but it also boosts the whole competition. 

“We’ll do our best against them when they come out home.”

Most of the pre-season attention has been on the Cowboys following the recruitment of the likes of Toomey-White, Nathan Merritt, Reggie Saunders and Adrian Davis.

The class will obviously be with the Cowboys come kick-off at Larkin Oval, but Neill said youth will be on his side.

“James Fisk and Ned Dawson, Sam Simmons … all three are looking to step up. Fisky is a real leader and despite Reece (Goldsmith) not being there we don’t lose a lot, except experience,” Neill said.

“Our pre-season has been good, after that slow start, and we’ve all been there at training and we’re giving it a red-hot go.”

A Tigers junior, Neill says he’s always viewed himself as a leader of sorts at Nyngan but now it’s official he’ll have to rein in his on-field chat, just a touch.

“I think I’ll try and lead by example this season,” he added.

In doing so, he’s looking to instill three traits in his 2018 Tigers.

“Effort, discipline and showing up for our mates,” Neill said.

“We didn’t do a lot flashy last year, we just worked hard for each other and had a crack every weekend and I think you’ll see that from us again this year.”