COUNTRY under 18 representative Taye Cochrane looks set to get his first grade spurs for Old Bar in tomorrow's Group Three Rugby League clash against Forster-Tuncurry.
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Cochrane was the best player on the field for the Pirates in under 18s and reserve grade against Macleay Valley last weekend, according to first grade captain-coach Mick Henry.
"He killed it,'' Henry said.
"Taye will play 18s again this weekend and we'll start him off the bench in firsts.''
Henry said that the versatile Cochrane will get a run in the halves.
"That'll allow us to shift 'Tonga' (Isaac Worboys) into lock. We'll given him a bit of a licence to roam in there.''
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Worboys was among Old Bar's best in the 26-24 win over Macleay Valley at Kempsey last Sunday. This was Old Bar's first game for the year. He played five-eighth, but is better known as a lock or back rower.
The Pirates will have to wait on a couple of medical clearances after players sustained head knocks against the Mustangs, but Henry hopes to field much the same 17.
He conceded the Pirates ran out of steam in the second half last week, although given their interrupted training program, he said this was to be expected.
"And we lost a couple of players with concussion protocols, so we only had two players on the bench, so that made it a bit harder,'' he said.
The game will feature two of the group's best halfback, Jordan Worboys from Old Bar against Adrian Davis from the Hawks. Worboys was player of the match against the Mustangs, while Davis started the year strongly but was out-of-sorts last Saturday when the Hawks were beaten by Port City Breakers in a bruising contest at Tuncurry.
While agreeing the clash of the halves will be interesting, Henry believes the game will be won and lost in the forward battle.
"I think we might have the edge there,'' he said.
Meanwhile Port City and Wauchope will both take winning form into tomorrow's contest at Port Regional Stadium
The Breakers ended Forster-Tuncurry's winning run at Tuncurry last Saturday while Wauchope overwhelmed Taree City in their clash at Wauchope.
This was Port City's first appearance for the year. Captain-coach Richie Roberts said after the game that the Breakers aren't yet at full strength and have a couple of players, including former Group Three player of the year Chris Piper, to return.
The Blues were well beaten in the opening round clash against Forster-Tuncurry but have since won matches against Port Macquarie and then Taree City.
