Only a late flourish of three tries gave the Pickers some respectability on the scoreboard as the Goannas ran out 30-22 winners.

Goannas fullback Cal Edwards, in his first game against his old side, was outstanding creating repeated breaks through the middle of the park taking on the line and putting his forwards and backs through holes.

Halves Jordy Worboys, Jake McNamara and dummy-half Oliver Powell took advantage of an inexperienced back three, after Pickers wing Josh Morrison went off early with injury, with well-placed short kicks leading to three tries.  

The Goannas gave the Pickers plenty of chances to secure the points, with giant forward Kurt Warden sin-binned early in the first half with the Pickers leading 6-0.

It was a double blow for the Goannas as a try scored as Warden was caught throwing a punch was disallowed.

However, the Goannas defence held and they were able to score through Jordy Worboys in Warden’s absence. 

Warden crossed soon after his return, but what turned out to be the killer blow came just before half-time when Cessnock exploited a poor kick chase by the Pickers to turn defence into attack with Haimona Hiroti crossing after a strong run by Chris Pyne.

“I knew were were in trouble when they scored that try just before half-time,” Pickers coach Trevor Ott said. 

“To allow a guy to run 60-80 metres off our kick chase was poor. We weren’t up for it. If you don’t have the desire to get down there and make those tackles you don’t win games.” 

Goannas coach Steve Kidd said Warden’s send-off had proved a turning point in the Goannas favour..

“We defended our line for about two or three sets in a row and then really got on the front foot,” he said.

”Kurt really lifted and was outstanding for us when he came back on,” he said.

Kidd was also glowing his praise of Edwards.

“He was outstanding as well. That’s why we chased him in the off-season. He was organised in defence and really gave us an extra dimension in attack with his run and setting up holes for his teammates to run into,” he said.

Pickers coach Trevor Ott is disappointed in his team’s inconsistency and said while the Goannas exploited an inexperienced back three with their kicking game, the Pickers defence in the middle of the park was a bigger problem.

“But we just didn’t have the right attitude in the middle of the park. We need consistency and for some of our younger guys to push through and be good week in, week out,” Ott said.

CESSNOCK 30 (K Warden 2, C Edwards, C Pyne, J Worboys, H Hiroti tires; J McNamara 2 goals) defeated MAITLAND 22 (M Ireland, J Hocking, J Tynan, H Grainger tries; B Birch 2, T Carter goals)