Currently in fourth and just two points behind Bathurst Bulldogs, the students can leapfrog the ’Dogs with victory at University Oval tomorrow, and with six winable games to follow before season’s end, Tanner says his side is confident of getting the job done this week.

“This game certainly does mean a lot, I would rather be third than fourth and so would Bulldogs,” he said.

“A win here might seal that for us, I see Dubbo Kangaroos as the only really hard game in the run home to the finals.”

In a season where CSU have arguably looked like the most dangerous team in the competition at times, the only thing missing from their copybook is a victory over one of the other ‘big three’ sides – ’Roos, Bulldogs and undefeated leaders Narromine.

They drew with ’Roos in round nine and in both games against Narromine they had their opportunities, but against ’Dogs in round three they did not really threaten, going down 18-7.

“They are the only side we’ve felt during the game that we couldn’t have beaten, we didn’t apply much pressure to them, but we are a completely different team now,” Tanner said.

“We have gelled more as a team since then and know that we have a better side, so I’m quietly confident.

“Bulldogs are a very good side but the only thing that would lead me to believe that we would lose is our mental attitude – a pre-conception that they are a better side than us will hurt us.”

Tanner said that although a win over a top-four rival would do wonders for his team’s confidence, they have plenty already and it is a case of showing some extra maturity, particularly with the ball in hand in order to get the result.

He sees fitness as his team’s biggest area of advantage over their cross-town foes.

“We are doing an hour of fitness tonight [Thursday], Dave Conyers is coming up to run the hell out of them and that is the key to our whole year – we don’t stop and as soon as ’Dogs stop we want to turn it on,” he explained.

He went on to say that although the Bulldogs’ vaunted forward pack present a big challenge, he thinks they can match them in that area if the game becomes a slog-fest.

CSU: 1 Alex McKendry, 2 Hiram Brooke, 3 Charlie Croucher, 4 Richard Jeans, 5 Nick Hughes-Clapp, 6 Matt Boylan-Smith, 7 Charlie Nordfeld, 8 Jason Welburn, 9 Dom Longhurst, 10 Jeff Stewart, 11 Jake Hauritz, 12 Simon Dowling, 13 Matt Coote, 14 Jack Archdale, 15 Tristan Pixley.