"We'll get better."
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That was the message Dubbo Kangaroos skipper Tom Koerstz delivered to his team-mates on Saturday afternoon following a 25-12 Blowes Clothing Cup loss to Bathurst Bulldogs.
Though the Roos conceded 17 unanswered points to start the second round match, Koerstz was pleased with the way his side rallied at Ashwood Park.
They forced a Bulldogs side that is capable of some very slick rugby into making uncharacteristic errors.
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Time and time again when Bulldogs had penetrated their 22, Koerstz's side sent them away empty-handed.
"We've got a young squad but I think we're showing a bit of ticker and are enjoying playing footy again," he said.
"You want to come down against the benchmark sides and have a crack and we did that. I think that's a really pleasing thing, we had a couple of injuries and blokes from threes step up and have a good crack.
"A loss hurts, don't get me wrong, but for us, we're getting better. We want to form a really tight group and that's not just first grade, that two and threes two.
While the Roos were upbeat despite a loss, in the Bulldogs camp coach Dean Oxley wasn't fully satisfied.
His side is two-from-two to start the season after a strong win over Orange Emus in round one but Oxley was all too aware his side is capable of better attacking rugby than what it showed on Saturday.
They lost line-outs against the feed, they failed to find touch with a penalty kick more than once and there were knock-ons when in a prime attacking position.
"The hangover from Emus was always going to be the issue and we spoke about it and making sure we had our head in the game and we did in patches," Oxley said.
"It was a very switch-on, switch-off game. We scored three tries which is not like Bathurst Bulldogs, the style of footy I want to play we are scoring at least four-five if we click. We didn't click today, it was a challenge.
"But we got the points and didn't hand back the ones we worked so hard to win against Emus."
Though it was scrappy, Bulldogs did have moments to be proud of.
Flyhalf Brad Glasson came up with a George Gregan like try-saver in the first half on Ratu Roko and in the second half, led by props Bailey Warren and Matt Trapp, the Bulldogs scrum wheeled Dubbo beyond 90 degrees.
First grade debutants Joe Kermode, Jason Corliss, Charlie Sharwood also handled their first XV duties well.
"We had a lot of leadership off the field today and the young blokes really stood up under pressure," Oxley said.
"That was our goal today, to win. Our second goal was to get a bonus point victory but we didn't quite get there, so credit to Dubbo who defended really well. They turned up today.
"Dubbo played very strongly, credit to Paul Elliott and their coaching staff. They're going to have a strong year I believe and that's what we need for the competition to get back to where it needs to be."
It was Bulldogs prop Josh Corby who opened scoring seven minutes in when he ran on a short ball and straight through a gap. Kurt Weekes converted to make it 7-0.
Flyhalf Brad Glasson looked dangerous early as he made good yards and after Kermode marked his debut with a try and the lead pushed out to 17-0, it looked as if it could be a long afternoon for the Roos.
However, they responded to that by renewing their determination. Aleck Mitchell was held up over the line and it took Glasson's brilliant one-on-one tackle to deny Roko.
But just over a minute into the second half the Roos got on the board. The ball was spread wide from a scrum, Roko charged down the right wing and kicked ahead then fullback Caleb Cook won the race to ground it in-goal.
Bulldogs responded with an Adam Plummer try as the score pushed out to 22-5, but Roos gave themselves a sniff with just over 10 left when Josh Sinisa - backing up after playing third grade - crashed over.
But that would be as close as the visitors got as a Weekes penalty goal sealed it for the Bulldogs.
"Credit to Bathurst, they outplayed us and won those little moments," Koerstz said.
"I thought Mobbsy led them really well. Glasso and Weekesy, I thought they controlled the game really well."
