Cornell already eyeing off next challenge as Temora build momentum

Cornell proved the hero for his new club on Saturday, booting a goal on the final siren to hand Temora their best Farrer League win in years, a six-point victory over Marrar.

The win moved the Kangaroos two games, plus considerable percentage, clear of sixth-placed Northern Jets as they look to play finals for the first time since 2019.

With one scalp in the bag, Temora get the opportunity to further test their credentials when they take on second-placed East Wagga-Kooringal at Gumly Oval on Saturday.

Cornell stressed that the Kangaroos are not looking too far ahead but now have comfort in knowing that their best football is good enough to match it with the top three.

"I think it's week by week for us at the moment," Cornell said.

"We're not looking too far ahead or getting too carried away than literally East Wagga this weekend. We're just worried about that and then we focus on who we've got the next week.

"We think if we keep playing good footy and keep building on what we're doing at the moment, we can match it with the better teams.

"Obviously you've got to maintain that performance for four quarters and we probably haven't done that yet, for a full game, against one of the top teams.

"That's the hard part, maintaining that but we know our best is good enough. It's just that consistency that we need to find."

Cornell, last year's Jim Quinn Medallist for best and fairest in the Riverina League, admits it took him a little while to settle in at Temora and adjust to Farrer League footy.

But he's thoroughly enjoying a breath of fresh air at Temora.

"I'm loving it, to be honest," he said.

"I suppose it's one of those things, I probably started out a little bit slow but I expected that, I hadn't really trained with the boys at all, to be honest, just travelling back and rocking up on game day.

"It takes a little bit to gel with the boys and know how everyone plays and what not.

"It's nice to see we're starting to gel and play the way we want to play now and it's starting to show come game day.

"It was a little bit slow at the start but again, we're starting to really work it out now and it's fun, it's good fun playing."

Cornell moved to Sydney at the end of last season at Wagga Tigers. He conceded the travel each week to play with Temora is a big commitment, but one he is handling for now.

"It's a lot. Don't get me wrong," he said.

"At the start of the year it's not too bad, you're like this is easy, but then 10 odd weeks in, you're a bit like right, back again, and you spend more hours in the car.

"I might book a few flights towards the end of the year when you're a bit more fatigued and exhausted but at the moment it's just easier to do it in the car.

"Once I get there's it's fine. It's alright. No one loves the travel I suppose but you get it done."

Cornell is particularly enjoying the opportunity to play alongside his cousin and Temora co-coach Will Reinhold.

"Yeah I'm loving it. Like I've said before, that was the main factor in going over there," he said.

"To see him healthy and having a very good year himself individually, it's good to see but it's fun to play with him as well.

"I said to him that shoulder better hold up if I'm coming over there!"

It was Reinhold who delivered the ball into him and provided him with the opportunity to kick the match-winner last Saturday.

It was the first time in Cornell's accomplished career that he's had the opportunity to win a game off his boot.

"It was good to be able to get on the end of it," he said.

"Willbur (Reinhold) had it out there. I thought he got's a big kick so he's a chance here to kick a point. He said I saw you there one-on-one so I thought I'd bang it in there to the right space. It worked out well, which was good.

"That's probably the first one of them I've had, which is nice. Literally straight after I kicked it the siren went. I knew there wasn't long, when I took the mark I looked at the clock and I knew there wasn't long to go.

"It was nice. Being the kick to win it, it's good. You love it at the time and then a couple of days later you're like that was good but the next challenge pops up and you worry about that."

Saturday

Northern Jets v Coleambally at Ariah Park Sportsground

East Wagga-Kooringal v Temora at Gumly Oval

North Wagga v Charles Sturt University at McPherson Oval

Sunday

The Rock-Yerong Creek v Marrar at Victoria Park

Bye: Barellan