Hawks president Garry Lavender thought the 42-18 win was not as big of a forgone conclusion as the final score seemed to indicate.

“It was a good result. Tight first-half though. They really came out with a niggly sort of game plan, you could probably say, but credit to the Inverell boys, they stuck to their guns and played football,” Lavender said.

“It was only late in the second-half that we started to pile some points on, it was pretty tight all the way through. It could have gone either way, but it went our way.”

Lavender said he had not seen the ladder for this week.

“The Boomerangs didn’t put too many points on Ashford, so I think for and against we may just be on top,” he said.

The match between Ashford and the Moree Boomerangs was closer than many might have expected. It was a home game for the Boomerangs and the final score was 44-36 in favour of last year’s premiers. Regardless, the close result would have pleased the Rooster camp a good deal more than the Boomerangs. 

“There wasn’t much in it, so with the points differential, I think we may just be sneaking on top,” Lavender said.

“When the Boomerangs come over here, that’s a must win for sure. They’re a main test and win will secure a major semi-final at home.”

This weekend the Hawks will travel to Guyra, and Lavender chuckled at the thought of that encounter.

“They’re an unknown quantity at some stages, too. You can beat the hell out of them here, but you go over there, and, yeah, they’ll be ready for a game I suppose,” he said.

“We won’t be taking them lightly.”

Lavender said the club thought it had a chance this season.

“We’ve got to keep putting points on, in case it does come down to points for and against, but our aim is to just keep winning,” Lavender said.