Cessnock Goannas defence holds tight to beat Western Suburbs | PHOTOS

“I couldn’t be happier of the boys, they’ve made me a really happy man tonight,” Goannas coach Al Lantry said after the match.

“The challenge now is to go back to back next week against Lakes.

“If our boys can show what they showed today we are a strong chance.

“It was just a massive turn around. We’re still nowhere near our best but we completed 64 per cent of our sets. Our goal for the season is to be no less than 70.

“When we made errors we defended it and we really, really defended our line.”

The win was based on a much improved defensive effort, particularly on the right edge with UK recruit Josh Adu playing on the wing in his first grade debut with the Goannas.

“Josh Adu came in on the wing, a bit of a change in our defensive role. I believe he, Chanel (Mata'utia) and Marvin (Filipo) worked well together and they shut down the attack probably five or six times by just getting up quick in the line.

“The defensive change really worked. Where we’ve leaked 48 points down that right edge we didn’t leak one at all.”

“Josh scored a try, but more importantly he shut down a lot.  Our style of defence worked very well and he played a big role in that.

“I’ve been very disappointed in the defence, but what they delivered today was just unbelievable, I couldn’t be happier.

“Rugby league you can add everything into it, but once you break it down it is the simplest game in the world.

“Defence builds pressure, with pressure comes points.

“To beat Wests at Wests and Wests were coming off a defeat and had everything to play for. It just emphasises how good our boys were.”

On the other wing Joe Woodbury scored a double and Blake Andrews also crossed the line.

After a strong second-half last week, Paul Carter was the Goannas’ best, injecting himself into attack and doing a power of defence in a traditional lock role.

“Playing at 13 frees Carts up a lot more,” Lantry said

“He can run the ball or play it, it’s up to him. I think playing in the halves it made him a ball player rather than a ball runner.

“His line speed in defence was outstanding. He wants to get at them, he wants to bend people back.

“He just controls the middle for us. We’ve got big boys there to take the ball forward and then he can play off the back of it.”

Lantry said he believed it was great for footy to seen the Goannas through Carter and Kurri Kurri through Mitch Cullen resurrecting the traditional No.13 role.

“Mitch Cullen plays it at Kurri and he plays it very well,” he said. “The No.13 is such a viable attacking player, you need to have that. 

“It’s good for the game to see the role come back as so many coaches now turn the 13 into another front-rower.

“A true No.13 if they need to they’ll take the ball forward, they can get involved in the arm-wrestle of defence but when it comes to playing with that bit of finesse they can do that.”