ROUND 1 of the Group 2 Season for 2023 began with an afternoon of exciting rugby league action at Coronation Park, Nambucca Heads on Sunday 23 April.

The anticipation surrounding this year’s Nambucca Roosters First Grade side was answered when the home team defeated the Woolgoolga Seahorses 34 -16 in their first round matchup.

Both teams matched each other set for set in the opening stages until Roosters new signing Tyronne Roberts-Davis was able to exploit a gap in Woopi’s defence to get first points on the board for Nambucca.

The Roosters jubilation was short-lived as the visitors soon equalled the score then piled on a converted try to reach a 10-4 score line.

With only seconds left in the first half a cut-out pass from Roberts-Davis put Mitchell Whitelaw over in the corner for a try that was converted to see the match tied-up at half time.

It was ten minutes into the second half before the Roosters could break the stalemate when a grubber kick from Jai Whaddy set up winger Beau Langford for a try in the corner which was converted by Tyronne Roberts-Davis.

The Roosters try spree continued with Mitchell Whitelaw, Roberts-Davis and Jack Walsh-Mckierenan all crossing the line in spectacular fashion.

Woopi was able to get across the line one more time when forward Jackson Gisinger was able to crack the Roosters defence, however it was too late to affect the outcome of what was a game of high quality first grade football.

The reserve grade clash was equally as exciting however Woolgoolga was victorious in a game that demonstrated just how much depth both clubs now have in their player base.

In a match that had potential to go either way the Roosters ended up going down 22-32

The quality in the Reserve Grade has provided coaching staff at Coronation Park with strong options and holding a position in the top grade is competitive this year.

The surprise of the afternoon was the U/18s game where the fancied Woolgoolga went down to the Roosters 18-32.

The team had transformed from the trial match where Whoopie had put them to the sword only weeks earlier.

Their commitment to each other, their focus on completing sets and strength in the centre had the home side up by eight points by half time.

During the break Coach Geoff Batten directed his squad to tightened up their defence on the edges and it worked.

The most impressive element of the U/18s Roosters game on Sunday was their ability to focus on what they needed to do, not what the opposition was doing.

This seemed to dispel the spite that existed in the last clash between these two sides and seemingly frustrate their opponents to their detriment.

A quality football game that will bring fans back to Coronation Park to see more of the same.

The Nambucca Roosters are at home again this weekend with games being played on Saturday 29 April 23.

Nambucca will host the South Grafton Rebels, U/18s at 12:00 pm, Reserve Grade 1:10 pm, Women’s Tackle (versus Wauchope) at 2:30 pm and 1st Grade at 3:20 pm.

By Mick BIRTLES