TWO of the three remaining undefeated sides in the Group 10 premier league competition will do battle tomorrow as Lithgow Workies play host to St Pat’s.

Last year the record between the two sides stood at one win apiece, but Pat’s are determined to pick up the points away from home tomorrow. 

It won’t be an easy task given Lithgow Workies appear to be a cut above the side they were in 2014.

In their two games to date this season Workies have already achieved what took them nine rounds to do last year – win two matches.

The wins came against strong opposition as well – last year’s grand finalists Cowra Magpies and preliminary finalists Mudgee Dragons.

Jono Van Veen has lived up to the hype surrounding his return to the Workies side and, along with his brother Brendon, has turned the Workies into an imposing unit.

While St Pat’s come into the game on the back of an impressive win in the Bathurst derby and Lithgow having  sat out with a bye after their match with Orange CYMS was deferred, Saints coach Kurt Hancock is treading carefully.

He will do battle with a very depleted side, but it is one he has faith in.

“We’ve got Garry Reilly away at the Touch World Cup at Coffs Harbour. Joe Batchelor’s out with the broken hand from the Panthers game, he’s looking at maybe eight weeks. Curtis Boardman is away as well ... we’re very wounded,” he said.

“Tim Collins will get a start on the wing. The last two weeks he’s been really solid in reserve grade. Tim Holman will fill in for Garry at five-eighth. Derryn Clayton will get his first start, he’s been great off the bench.

“The younger guys really want to challenge themselves. They’re not just there to make up the numbers. 

“It will be another learning curve for them, but it might be a harder one than they were expecting this time of the season.”

Matt Ballinger comes into fullback to cover for Holman’s shift to the halves.

The Saints will also be without representative prop Luke Newsome, who was handed a three-week suspension by the Group 10 judiciary on Thursday night for  making late contact with Panthers’ kicker Joey Bugg. His absence sees Ben Thompson promoted to the starting line-up.

There is one more headache Hancock could face as well, with winger Adam Morton not able to complete Thursday night’s training session.

There’s also familiar faces in the Lithgow side with members of the Saints’ 2014 premiership line up in Antonio and Cyp Ale having switched clubs.

Hancock knows first hand that sort of threat that pair pose.

“Obviously Cyp and Antonio Ale add a lot of attacking flair to the team. We have to be very smart with what we do,” Hancock said.

“There’s a lot of quality that has come to the Lithgow club. They’ve also put in a lot of hard work. I’d consider them the best team in the competition so far and they’re probably the team to beat right now.”

Tomorrow’s match will kick off at 2.30pm at the Lithgow Showground.

ST PAT’S: 1 Matt Ballinger, 2 Adam Morton, 3 Mick Armstrong, 4 Dave Howard, 5 Tim Collins, 6 Tim Holman, 7 Hudson White, 8 Pat Boatswain, 9 Benjamin John, 10 Ben Thompson, 11 Brady Cheshire, 12 Corey Averio, 13 Derryn Clayton, 14 TBA, 15 Nick Miller, 16 Jack Mackey, 17 TBA.