A slow start in last week’s loss will be what the Gunnedah Red Devils will have to turn around as they host Walcha on Saturday.
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Gunnedah took on Moree last week and a fast-starting Moree jumped out to a 33-7 lead at half-time.
The Red Devils clawed their way back but the lead was too big as they went down by seven.
“The Moree backline was surprising. The speed of the Moree backs caught us off guard,” Waerea said of last week’s match.
“Their 10 was particularly evasive and with lots of bodies in motion they caught the Red Devils out of position in the midfield and outside backs’ transition zone.”
There was positives, though.
The Red Devils responded to the half-time feedback which was to get up and drift hard in defence.
Waerea said the “scrums and lineouts were a great contest” and highlighted some individual efforts.
“The forwards’ defence effort was enormous. The Brown Brothers tackled everything with two legs and shut down a lot of the Moree forward attack,” Waerea said.
“We had more attacking ball and punched up well in the second half. Dave Heyman added some additional spark returning from a two-year lay off.
“Joe Norman led to the line and played the backline into some great holes.”
Waerea said Gunnedah will have to shut down Walcha’s “pretty special” midfield down and deny them ball.
They’ll also have to do it with as many as five changes to the side that took on Moree last week.
Waerea said Nemo Navatu, Brad Swain, Jono Madden, Isaiah Raitala and Nick Lyons were some of the outs from last week with Zac Newcombe, DJ Morrison and Nathan Tavaga amongst the ins.