Castlereagh corner: Knockout win just small part of what makes returning Roos proud

The Roos are taking to the field for the first time since 2017 this year and immediately announced themselves as a premiership contender by winning the Castlereagh League pre-season knockout on Saturday, April 20.

The result was special for Chanse and Casey Burgess, the brothers and co-captain-coaches who have led the Roos' revival, but there's plenty more to be proud of.

The weather was far from ideal on Saturday but there was still a strong crowd at Coolah's Bowen Oval and that, combined with seeing the side come together in competitive matches, was a special moment.

"There's some younger blokes, who are only 20 or so, and we've seen them playing juniors their whole lives," Chanse, 29, said of his new side.

"Like our five-eighth Tyler Lennox. He used to be the ball boy last time Coolah had a team and now he's starting at five-eighth. That's just unreal.

"It's a great group of blokes who all get along and there's just an unreal feeling at the club at the moment."

With Chanse and Casey - who were standouts in the Peter McDonald Premiership last season - leading the way and a number of other eye-catching signings locked in, there was already some hype around the Roos' in their comeback season.

The weekend reinforced that, as Coolah defeated a youthful Baradine side 14-4 in the knockout final.

Prior to the final, the Roos had beaten defending premiers Gulgong 20-0 and Narromine 6-0.

"It really showed the boys the hard work and the floggings in pre-season was worth it," Burgess said.

"I think they were more pleased to make sure they hadn't been for nothing.

"I'd just kept banging into them all the time that we'd be fitter and fitter means everything in rugby league and I'm very glad they now realise it too."

There's four Burgess brothers in the Coolah side and Austin was one of the Roos' best on Saturday alongside second-row partner Hugh Wesley.

Hooker Justin Mogg was another to impress with his defensive work while halfback Dan Lane proved he's up to the task of leading the Roos around.

"He (Lane) has come across from Dunedoo after they folded and he's a great halfback in this comp," Burgess said.

"He's still only young but he's been playing first grade since he was 17 so he knows what it's all about and he was good for us on the weekend."

The Roos will now welcome the Gilgandra Panthers to Bowen Oval in round one of the season proper on Saturday, April 27.

The Panthers were beaten by Coonamble in round one of the knockout but are historically one of the top teams in the competition and the battle between the two packs should be one of the highlights.

Victory in that one would further enhance the Roos' title credentials.

"We've got a really quality team so we'd like to go all the way," Burgess said.

Elsewhere in round one, a Gulgong side which lost a host of players in the off-season will travel to take on an impressive Baradine side while Cobar hosts Narromine in what should be another top match and Coonabarabran will do battle with Coonamble.