It's difficult to stay upbeat after a heavy loss to your fiercest rivals, but Macquarie Raiders under 18s coach David Peachey found plenty of positives on Sunday.
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The young Raiders were handed a 48-12 defeat in their Western Under 18s derby clash with Dubbo CYMS at Apex Oval.
The loss was just the second the Raiders have suffered in the opening eight rounds of the season and while it hurt, Peachey was confident his players will be better for it.
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"This is the one where the reputations are on the line and I've got a couple of senior players who were here last year but I've got a lot of juniors," former NRL star Peachey said.
"Hopefully they get an understanding of what it is to be a Raiders and what it is to be involved in a local derby and I should have the majority of these players again next season.
"It's something special in regards to just being part of the Raiders on a derby weekend and, like I said, for a lot of the kids coming from the under 16s it's about learning what today is about."
Peachey described CYMS as "the benchmark" in the Western Under 18s competition and said Sunday's result shows his side has work to do.
There were plenty of glimpses of the Raiders' quality throughout the 60 minutes on Sunday - particularly when standout captain Seaun Stanley Jnr was involved - but consistency was an issue for those in blue.
I'm impressed wit the squad at the moment, in terms of where we came from, and this (CYMS) is the benchmark.
- David Peachey
Peachey is confident his side will continue building towards its best performance after what was a disrupted start to the year.
"We started late in the pre-season so I didn't have a lot of the boys," he said.
"I'm impressed wit the squad at the moment, in terms of where we came from, and this (CYMS) is the benchmark."
The Raiders will enjoy the general bye during the long weekend and that will give Peachey a chance to assess the first eight rounds.
Given so many of his players have come out of the under 16s this year was always going to be "a learning curve" but the coach must also balance those developing players with some senior figures who he rates as good enough to earn a spot in first grade this year.
Stanley did his chances no harm against the Fishies on Sunday with a barnstorming performance in the back-row while Klayton Naden and Braith Carroll also worked tirelessly in the defeat.
The Raiders head into the general bye in sixth spot on what is a congested under 18s ladder.
Nyngan, Dubbo CYMS, Cowra and Bathurst Panthers are all locked on 14 points at the top of the ladder while the Raiders and Forbes are two points back.
Orange Hawks are also not far off the pace on 10 points.
Macquarie's reserve grade side is one heading into the bye with plenty of momentum.
The Raiders sit top of the reserve grade ladder and produced the club's lone derby win on Sunday.
Those in blue defeated CYMS 26-16 to remain unbeaten after the first five rounds of the season.
The Raiders will host Nyngan after the bye.
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Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
