That will no doubt be the message from Port Macquarie under-12 girls coach Anna Gleeson as her team prepares to replicate their success as under-10s at the NSW Junior State Cup.

Gleeson created history last year when the Makos under-10 girls won the northern conference to become the association's first team to secure a NSW Junior State Cup title since 2002.

Six of that team will be back on deck along with two players who have never played in the statewide tournament before.

But the coach knows the step up in age group also provides a few new challenges.

"Going into the under-12s the field is twice the size, so we're playing on a full-sized field and have gone from having five players on the field to six," Gleeson said.

"This age group is a bit progressive where the kids learn structures which flows on so you can teach them more."

The 2019 NSW Touch Football Association senior female player of the year watched how the Makos under-12 team played last year.

She hopes to include some structures of their play into her own gameplan.

"I've played a lot with their coach before so a lot of the plays are similar, but you don't want to overwhelm the girls with too many new things.

"Last year our defence was why we won it and this year we're working really hard on that and I'm proud of how they've listened and asked questions."

The coach is confident in her team's ability to score tries, but stopping them will be the key to progressing deep into the competition.

"We can always score tries, but if you can stop a lot of tries you're always going to go well," she said.

Manly and Wallsend appear to be Port Macquarie's main challengers for the title.

"Wallsend have Karley Banks down there who is one of the best coaches in Australia helping that club excel," Gleeson said.

Macksville threw their hat into the ring as a dark horse when they upset the Makos 1-0 in the final of the Northern Eagles junior championships at Forster three weeks ago.

That defeat provided Port Macquarie with a much-needed reality check ahead of this weekend.

"It's a blessing in disguise," Gleeson said.

"But I told the girls at training that we went into the tournament treating it like a training run and it was all part of the process to get us where we want to be for State Cup."

We've got Taree on the stadium so that will be a highlight for the girls on Saturday at midday

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