Giles helps Cherrypickers maintain unbeaten start after scare from Brothers

Young continued their unbeaten start to the season but not before a scare from the Brethren at Equex Centre.

Young scored the first three tries after half-time to given themselves some breathing space on their way to a 34-26 victory, that saw the Cherrypickers claim the Riverina Bluebell Cup.

Giles continued his hot start to the Group Nine season by crossing for a double as he led from the front for an undermanned Cherrypickers outfit.

Young were missing Weissel Medal winner Tom Demeio, Aaron Slater, Jake Cambos and Nayah Freeman but were still able to overcome a gallant Brothers outfit.

"It was a good test, it was always going to be," Giles said.

"They're going to win a few games, Brothers, I had a chat to their coach Aaron Gorrell after the game and they're going to win a few games.

"We weren't up to scratch but we had four out.

"Early on we're just happy to scrape by with the two points and that puts us at the top of the table for the meantime. When you scrape by with two points you're always happy aren't you?"

In the absence of some of their stars, Fijian winger Boro Navori put in another starring performance to claim Young's player's player award for the second consecutive week.

He scored one try and set up a couple of others. Che Hyslop also shone and crossed for a double, while full-back Devon Makoare-Boyce also put in a strong performance and finished with 16 points.

But Giles, who has scored five tries across the opening four rounds, is loving life leading the Cherrypickers.

"I'm loving it. I moved down here from Sydney at the start of the year and I'm loving it, loving my footy," he said.

"All the boys are buying in, all of the Sydney lads love it.

"We're sort of holding the fort a little bit until we get these blokes back, they're not long term injuries, they're all one week, two week injuries."

Giles identified Young's completion rate as an area to improve on but believes there were positives to take from it also.

"We completed at 50 per cent. We did the same in round one and round one we had a draw," he said.

"Obviously we can't be doing that at the backend and against better opposition.

"It's not a terrible sign because we completed well last week against Tumut and blew them off the park but it's a sign where at least we know that we're a good side that can play at 50 per cent and still win footy games.

"At least it should show the lads that we can get it done when we're not playing our best. That's a positive to take out of it."

In a positive for Young, Slater, Demeio and Freeman should all return for next week's big clash against Gundagai.

Giles can't wait for the fixture but not first without paying some respect to Brothers.

He had high praise for representative backrower Apenisa Driti, who set up a couple of Brothers tries with his offloads.

"Brothers are going to win some games, they've got some real good middles, they're back-rower's a gun," Giles said.

"Their back-rower (Driti) could be one of the best forwards in the comp. He's hard to tackle.

"We didn't really do a good job on him but some of the lines he ran, good luck trying to stop that. He's a good player."

GROUP Nine defending champions Tumut enjoyed their first win of the season against Junee on Saturday.

Winger Ben Hampstead crossed for a hat-trick as Tumut got on the board with a 34-16 win over the Diesels at Twickenham.

Tumut put away Junee early on, at one stage leading 32-4 before the Diesels crossed for a couple of consolation tries later in the game.

It was a good response from the Blues, who had been comprehensively beaten by Kangaroos, Temora and Young to start the season.

They get a chance to build some momentum with another winnable game against Southcity next weekend.