Twelve months after being tortured by 'Fergo', Toohey returns bigger and better

"I don't think so," Toohey said with a wry smile, before adding "he's a powerful human" when discussing the former Australian international.

Ferguson dominated the contest between the two last year, the mismatch highlighted by one moment when the returning Wellington junior picked up Toohey and dumped him to the ground in emphatic fashion.

But when the two sides met again at Kennard Park on Sunday, May 19, things could not have been more different.

Toohey and the Magpies' left edge did an outstanding job to shut down Ferguson in the 2024 edition of the clash between the two sides.

The 23-year-old was one of a number of players in an under-strength Forbes side who impressed in a nail-biting 30-28 victory.

"Last year was a bit of a tough task, but it was good to battle him again," Toohey said after Sunday's win.

"I was a bit littler (last year) and a bit shy and he's obviously still a very good player, so it was definitely good to contain him.

"We wanted to get up on him quick and shut him down, not let him do too much. It was good that he had to work out of his own end for most of it."

Toohey's strong defensive showing was no fluke.

A former under 18s premiership winner with Forbes, Toohey spent a large chunk of his off-season in the gym. He's returned to play noticeably bigger with a lot more muscle, and the rewards have been clear to see.

"I put on a bit of weight, I was into the gym flat out," Toohey said.

"I got through pre-season fit and healthy so I'm looking forward to what I can do."

Toohey started the first two games of the season at fullback before being shifted back to the centres on Sunday by coach Cameron Greenhalgh.

Toohey had hoped to make the fullback spot his own this season, but given the praise Greenhalgh sent the outside back's way after Sunday's win, there's every chance he could stay on an edge.

"He'll get a lot out of that," Greenhalgh said.

"Tommy's been at fullback in the first two games and he'd been good there but we shifted things around and changed it up this week and he was outstanding.

"With his carries he's hard to control, he's a big body this year. He did a good job on 'Ferg', he played tough and we matched it."

Having suffered narrow losses to Orange CYMS and the Bathurst Panthers after a round one bye, Forbes players celebrated well after full-time at Wellington.

Both Greenhalgh and Toohey were hopeful the first win could spur the team into action ahead of upcoming games against Macquarie, Bathurst St Pat's and then Parkes in the annual long weekend battle.

"We only lost those games by six points and two points, so we know we're up there with the top dogs, which are Bathurst and Orange," Toohey said.

"We still believe we've got got a team that can get the wins and if we keep doing that then we might be hard to stop at the back end of the year when we've got everyone back."