Yesterday, the highly anticipated clash between the Magpies and the Burleigh Bears brought Davies Park to life and it did not disappoint.
As the sun set over Davies, the first half belonged firmly to Burleigh. Five-line breaks and four unanswered tries had the Bears firmly in the ascendancy, and despite a gutsy late try from Mitchell Owen, the Magpies headed into the sheds trailing by 16 points.
Burleigh came out of the break and extended their lead further with another converted try but it would be the last time they crossed the line all night. What followed was something special.
The nest rose to its feet as the Magpies found another gear entirely. Three tries in the second half hauled the score back to 22-28 with ten minutes remaining, and from there the atmosphere was electric. Both sides threw everything at each other in a breathless finish that had fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle.
Then came the moment of the night. Phranklyn Mano-Le-Mamea went over to complete a stunning hattrick, and Tom Duffy stepped up to nail the conversion, bringing the scores level and sending a buzzing feeling across Davies.
Two rounds in, the Magpies are showing plenty of promise across attack, defence, and the broader game, a platform to build on as the season takes shape.
Next week, the boys head to Devils for the first rivalry round of the season. Expect fireworks.