While they might not have started as fast as they liked, the Raidettes certainly finished in style in their clash with Bathurst on the weekend.
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While trainer Kaitlyn Mason acknowledged that the side started 'a little bit slow' against the Panthers, allowing the hosts to set out to a 6 - 0 lead early, the travellers controlled the rest of the match, first with a Mariah Delaney try, then another from Taneka Todhunter.
The Panthers fought back to make it 10 - 10 shortly after, but the Raidettes remained poised and kept the pressure up to secure a well earned victory after a long trip.
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"They kept their composure and really stepped it up in defence, once that grind started and they got stuck in, they came out on top," Mason said.
Millie Smith built up the Raidettes attack from the centre, proving opportunities for her partner in the halves Bindi Shaw that paid off later with a try.
"They really backed each other up well and made a few good breaks down the sidelines and got us good field position which was really good, but Millie really defended well and got us on that front foot early," Mason said.
A further try to Millah Phillips, and three conversions from Ebony Furner, pushed the scoreline beyond the host's ability to match, but it was Taneka Todhunter who put the finishing touches on, crossing twice more to tally up a hat-trick.
"We've had Taneka in a few different positions but she really stepped up at halfback for us on the weekend, the way she runs the attack and gives those girls the encouragement they need, it really puts us in that positive mindset to move forward as a team," Mason said.
"She's one of those players that's just really postive, she's always going forward and she had a really big impact."
The young gun, who's starred for Dubbo CYMS, the Goannas and trialled with the Sydney Roosters is one of the more experienced talents helping boost the Dubbo side's efforts in Group 10.
"She's in that top age bracket of the girls and she's really took it upon herself to set the standard for the team and take them under her wing and just get them into the game," Mason said.
"She's really been bringing the girls together."
While the continued gelling of the patchwork team, made up of representatives from five of the local Group 11 teams, is a welcome sign of encouragement in an uncertain season, Mason says the positive environment has been growing since day one.
"The mood is great at training, they're all training really well and they're all very positive, even with that loss in the first round, they were all really upbeat coming out of that, they had their heads up high," Mason said.
"They took what they needed to work on away from that, and they've really worked at cutting the mistakes out of our game, they're a very positive bunch."
"I think a lot of it is down to just being able to play this year."