They said before the season this year they'd break the drought, and for the first time since they won a grand final, The Rock-Yerong Creek are winners.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After their 2017, 2018, 2019 A grade premiership three-peat, the Magpies have been deep in a rebuilding era, and their efforts were rewarded with a 65-55 win over Marrar on Saturday.
Coach Caren Hugo, who played in the 2019 premiership, said she does not remember the team winning a game since then.
With COVID-19 disruptions and new, young talent filtering into the top side from their junior program, it's been a long time between wins but Hugo said the side has done her proud.
Despite high spirits, she won't let the team think another win isn't around the corner.
"The girls were pretty happy, but we're trying to reel that in a little bit," Huge said.
"We're expecting a few more wins this year, so we're happy but a bit contained, we have some high expectations, so were're really happy, the club is really excited, but there's lots more work to do and I think lots more building to do and we've got more to show."
The Magpies have had a strong start to the season, with two close losses in round one to the Northern Jets and last weekend to Barellan.
Hugo said last week's game was a tough but important lesson for her side.
Feeling as though the win was within reach, she felt the side got ahead of themselves.
They didn't make the same mistake twice however.
"I think that's probably what happened a little bit last week and I think we were just so focused on not letting that happen again that we sort of didn't really allow those thoughts to creep in this week," Hugo said.
"I think yeah last week was probably a lesson that we needed to learn and it's certainly upwards from here.
"We're getting better and more confident each week."
Noticing the side had been dropping intensity in fourth quarters since the season started, playing a full game was a key talking point throughout the week.
Hugo said a balance of inexperience and learning how to work together contributed to this.
Pleased with how the team finished the game on Saturday, holding on to last quarter leads is something many of the girls had not done before.
"It was definitely something that we had spoken about a lot," Hugo said.
"Also making sure we're rewarding those turnovers and not turning it back over, I think we had a lot of focus on consolidating those turnovers and making sure that we're getting the rewards from them so we're not putting out defence under so much pressure all the time."
Pushing out a lead early in the game, Hugo was impressed with how the team weathered the storm and maintained focus even when Marrar crept back up on them.
Not only did the side show physical and technical strength, but mental strength to remain focused through the ups and downs of the game.
"Our young girls again, especially after last week, they really stood up this week and held their heads and that's in such a hard lesson to learn when they're so young and for them to learn it so quickly and to have that control this week was really impressive," Hugo said.
Hawks hand reigning premiers second loss; Saints, Jets keep winning
East Wagga-Kooringal are continuing to prove they're not to be messed with this season, defeating reigning premiers Temora 54-37 at Nixon Park.
The Hawks had been marked by their opponents prior to the season starting as a side to watch and with just a one-goal loss on their card so far this year, they're living up to their reputation.
The Kangaroos have now lost two in a row, though this week notably they were without Abbey and Lily Reinhold.
Back in Wagga, Charles Sturt University continued to struggle on the court.
The Bushows have had a slow start to the year, and added to their woes with a 47-13 loss to North Wagga.
Meanwhile in Coleambally, Northern Jets remain strong with a 72-39 win over their hosts.
Farrer League round four, results
The Rock-Yerong Creek 65 d Marrar 55
East Wagga- Kooringal 54 d Temora 37
North Wagga 47 d Charles Sturt University 12
Northern Jets 72 d Coleambally 39