Country North Cowboys saved their best defensive effort of the week for last, but it wasn't enough to get them off the mark in the annual Police Bank Cup rugby league carnival in Port Macquarie.
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The Cowboys had to share the spoils with Macarthur following a 0-all draw in the seventh versus eighth play-off on Thursday.
The week-long carnival pitted eight teams from around the state against each other, each made up of police officers.
Cowboys captain Shaun Creswell said injuries late in the week didn't help their cause, but it was still an improvement on their effort from 12 months ago.
"We had a couple of losses early in the week; we lost one where I missed the kick on the siren, but otherwise it was competitive all week," he said.
"We just couldn't get over the chalk in the final match to get the win up, but nil-all ... it's a point."
Last year Country North only fielded a squad of 15 players which expanded to 20 this year.
"Police footy is a little core group of guys," Creswell said.
"We've got probably 250 blokes that get together each year and you meet people from all over the place.
"Outside of work it's another common interest that brings people together so it's good to get out there and rip in."
The carnival returned to Port Macquarie for the ninth time which the Cowboys skipper said allowed teams from country areas to field sides.
"It gives us blokes in the country an opportunity to get involved," he said.
"They used to just have a city carnival where all the city teams would play against each other every second Wednesday and us blokes out in the country would miss out."
Next year's event is set to take place in mid-March.
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