The Baby Bulldogs had lost their previous six games and had been winless since defeating Werris Creek on May 22.

Bulldogs coach Mick Schmiedel praised Magpies co-coach and player Cody Tickle for a rare brand of sportsmanship.

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"Rory Harding copped a knock," Schmiedel said.

"We didn't see it, didn't know he's copped the head injury, but Cody came over and told us to check him."

Schmiedel added: "He didn't have to do that, we thank him for that."

The veteran mentor was delighted to have won what was a tough game on Saturday.

"That was pretty tight," he said. "Nice to get a win. Still a bit frustrating.

"I thought we were very, very good last week. Today we played some good percentage football and some bad percentage football."

He thought Jacko Brookman was his side's best.

"He came off the bench and gave us good impact," he said of the big and mobile forward.

"KC [Edmonds] also played well, played the full 80 minutes. The Creek's kids stepped up too. Charlie [Parsons] had a fantastic game but I thought Riley Leonard was their best."

Tickle thought his side was well in it until Gunnedah try-sneak Aaron Donnelly took a second-half intercept.

"It was a good game, would have been good to watch," Tickle said. "That intercept swung the game."

Gunnedah 34 (Aaron Donnelly 2, Kih McDonald 2, Zak Turnbull, Jackson Brookman tries; Dylan O'Brien 5 con) d Werris Creek 22 (Malik Hunt 2, Sam Tickle, Riley Leonard tries; Harlee Millgate 3 con) Group 4 best and fairest: 3 Jacko Brookman (G), 2 Charlie Parsons (WC), 1 KC Edmonds (G).

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