When Travis Waddell arrived at the Wellington Cowboys he could sense the confidence within the club and that feeling has only grown in the time since.
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The Cowboys consolidated their hold on second spot on the Group 11 ladder with a convincing win over the Macquarie Raiders on Sunday, overcoming a slow start to run out 58-12 victors at Apex Oval.
The win was a welcome return to form after a last-start loss at Nyngan.
Former NRL Indigenous All-Stars representative Waddell scored his side's first try on Sunday and said post-game he feels the Wellington team is on the path to something special.
"We're staying positive and we know we can do the job this year. We're building on it," he said.
"We knew from the start that we could do it. We're building up to it and we're moving along well at the moment."
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The Cowboys were uncharacteristically sloppy early on but the defence proved up to the task when the Raiders, wearing one-off NAIDOC round inspired jerseys, got into attacking territory.
Slowly but surely the Wellington side began to keep a hold of the ball and with its first real chance some quick play-the-balls and smart dummyhalf work from Dennis Moran led to Waddell going through a yawning gap to score from close-range.
That try on 15 minutes sparked an attacking blitz from the visitors, who scored twice more in the next eight minutes.
Both came from sets ensuing from kick-offs, firstly a barnstorming break from prop Dave Dryden resulting in the first of three tries on the day for fullback Will Lousick, before Aidan Ryan found space after floating across field and set up a four-pointer for his fellow winger CJ Ralph.
At 18-0 and with Raiders' captain-coach Wes Middleton off with an injured ankle, the bulk of the damage had been done.
The Raiders got one back shortly before half-time when Eroni Turagatautoka was on hand to plant down a spilled bomb, but that was as close as the hosts got.
The Cowboys scored almost at will at times in the second half, with Lousick and Josh Griffiths dominating while Moran was at his scheming best all game.
Lousick's elite support play came to the fore as he finished with a hat-trick while Griffiths and Ralph finished with doubles.
Waddell's fellow former NRL player Timana Tahu was relatively quiet for the Cowboys as he battled a hamstring complaint but he did produce a lovely short for Moran in the build-up to Ralph's second try.
"There's some freaky players and we've got good individuals in our side," Waddell said of the scintillating attack.
"We've got a few X-factor players like Joshy (Griffiths) and Will Lousick at the back and it's good to have them around."
Mason Williams also kicked nine goals from nine attempts for the Cowboys, with almost all of the attempts from directly in front of the sticks.
The result piles the pressure on Macquarie ahead of the final two rounds of the regular season.
The Raiders failed to deal with the Cowboys' attacking threat time and time again and now need to beat both Parkes and Nyngan to be any chance of making the top five.
"It's hard to find the mental toughness and go-forward when you've just conceded three or four quick tries," Macquarie halfback Bo Satrick said.
"We've just got to have a dig and give it all we've got to have some kind of hope for our Macquarie season.
"These last two games are the biggest of the season ... it's up to us."
Satrick and second-rower Aaron Daniel never stopped trying for the Raiders, while prop Colt Tairua was outstanding in a beaten side and his side noticeably struggled when he spent time on the bench in the first half.
Middleton's ankle injury is another major concern for the Raiders, while the Cowboys have worries of their own as Ralph failed to finish the game also because of what looked a serious ankle injury.
The winger may be in doubt for next weekend's meeting with Forbes and whoever would possibly come into the startying lineup would have to buy into what the Cowboys are trying to achieve in 2019.
"As a team it's about that consistency. And we've got to play as a team," Waddell said.
"We've got those good individuals but we need to work as team."
- WELLINGTON COWBOYS 58 (Will Lousick 3, Josh Griffiths 2, CJ Ralph 2, Travis Waddell, Wade Peachey, Brogan Black tries; Mason Williams 9 goals) defeated MACQUARIE RAIDERS 12 (Eroni Turagatautoka, Filisione Pauta tries; Bo Satrick 2 goals)
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
