HAWKS rugby league sides, both the Mens and Ladies, had the privilege of starting out on home ground, as their respective 2023 seasons kicked off under a mostly sunny sky at Myall Park on Saturday, 22 April.

The Ladies League Tag Hawks faced off against their Raymond Terrace opponents in a thrilling, fast-paced match.

Despite their efforts, the Lady Hawks’ were outflown by the Magpies from the Terrace, going down 28-0 by the final buzzer.

No doubt, as this was the on-field debut for so many of the Lady Hawks this year, the experience alone has given them plenty of ammunition for the strategy cannons, which will be fired back at the opposing teams in many more matches to come.

The Mens’ first round was a triumphant affair, to say the least.

“It was a win in convincing fashion,” Aaron Neighbour, Vice President of the Hawks RLFC, told NOTA, in somewhat understated modesty.

The Hawks Mens team ‘convinced’ the Raymond Terrace Magpies into a final score of 60-18, a clear and vibrant relief for the home crowd.

Jacob Palm-Wicks, the Hawks’ main kicker, made a staggering ten from ten kicks through the uprights, a feat that even some first-grade kickers would likely envy.

Both the Ladies and Mens teams have a strong season to look forward to, having well and truly greased the gears between last week’s trials and today’s season debut.

Whether it is learning from the loss, or homing in on what made the victory so definitive, both the Ladies and Mens Hawks will give their all as the 2023 season gets underway, and remind us all what teamwork and sportsmanship is all about.

By Thomas O’KEEFE