The Tuggeranong Vikings have hit the first hurdle on their mission to win five premierships in a row, but coach Brad Harris is confident a tight loss to the Queanbeyan Whites will be a timely wake-up call.
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The Whites landed the first blow in premiership favouritism to secure a 25-21 win against the Vikings on Thursday night, leaving them as the only undefeated team in the John I Dent Cup this season.
It was just the fourth regular season loss in the past three years for the Vikings as they aim to extend their premiership dominance and become the first team in more than 20 years to win five grand finals in a row.
Queanbeyan and Tuggeranong have shared every premiership since 2006.
"The big thing for us is that you can't give away a lead, you can't leak three tries in the first 20 minutes of a game and expect to win," Harris said.
"We were slow out of the blocks and by the time we regrouped and chased, we couldn't bring it in.
"It is a good reminder, this is a tight competition this year and Queanbeyan are a good side so the past means nothing."
The Vikings have dominated their rivals in recent years, rarely losing and cruising to four premierships in a row.
But the Whites staked their claim to knock them off their perch, racing out to an 18-0 lead after 20 minutes and then grinding their way to a win.
The Vikings cut the margin back to four points to trail 18-14 and then stormed back into the contest in the last 10 minutes when they scored again to be behind 25-21.
The Whites have built a side capable of ending Tuggeranong's dominance, but they are only four games into the season.
The pain of losing was eased by the return of 2013 player of the year Tim Cree, who made a successful comeback from a shoulder injury sustained in the National Rugby Championships with the Canberra Vikings.
The Vikings also hope to get half Joe Powell and Rodney Iona back in the coming weeks if they are not required for ACT Brumbies duties.
In the other match on Thursday night, the Uni-Norths Owls scrapped their way to a 6-6 draw at Gungahlin Enclosed.
The Owls kicked a penalty goal in the last minute of the game to lock the scores up and continue their bid to break a John I Dent Cup finals drought.
AT A GLANCE
QUEANBEYAN WHITES 25 bt TUGGERANONG VIKINGS 21, GUNGAHLIN EAGLES 6 drew with UNI-NORTHS OWLS 6. Wests, Royals and Easts all have a bye.
