A HOTLY contested battle for finals places can be expected at Ashwood Park tomorrow afternoon when the Bathurst Bulldogs play host to the Cowra Eagles.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The third-placed Bulldogs are looking to keep their momentum going in their bid for a major semi finals spot, while the fifth-placed Eagles are fighting for survival.
The Bathurst side are one-up in the head-to-head this year and they achieved that in emphatic style.
It would take someone brave, however, to predict that the Bulldogs will repeat the 29-0 hammering they dished out to the Eagles earlier in the season.
While the Eagles aren’t as strongly positioned on the ladder as they were during that meeting, they are fighting to keep distance between themselves and the Dubbo Kangaroos, who are seven points away.
The warning signs were sent out by the Eagles in their 36-15 defeat to Orange City last week.
Cowra caught the Lions out in the early stages to race out to a 12-0 lead before City’s class prevailed.
Bulldogs co-coach Scott Johnston said if his side stick to a game plan close to the one they employed against the Platypi last week, they will be able to cope with that pressure.
“Cowra play a very physical game that’s similar to the one we came up against last week with Forbes,” he said.
“That physicality is something that we have to take them on with. We can’t allow them to get on top of us. You saw that in their game against Orange City last week.”
The previous game against Cowra was deemed by the Bulldogs as one of their best all-round performances of the season.
Johnston said his team will win again if they play with the same rigidity in defence.
“One of the most pleasing things from the last time we played was that 15 to 20 minute period in the second half where we were able to hold them out on our line,” he said.
“We still play a very similar game compared to the last time we played Cowra. We’ll probably look to shift the ball around a lot more compared to the past few weeks, and try not to be as predictable in attack as we have been.”
Izaak Breen has been sidelined for the Bulldogs, which brings in Ollie Barclay for his debut appearance in a starting first grade side this season.
Josh Lees comes back to inside centre, while Johnston himself will come back into the run-on side at fullback.
First grade action will start at Ashwood Park at 3.15pm.
BATHURST BULLDOGS: 1 Chris Plunkett, 2 Mark Donnelley, 3 Sean Fogarty, 4 Ollie Barclay, 5 Lachlan Bull, 6 Jono Healey, 7 Adam Dwyer, 8 Peter Fitzsimmons, 9 Dylan Sinclair, 10 Steven Locke (c), 11 Tyson Smith, 12 Josh Lees, 13 Fali Liva, 14 Justin Mobbs, 15 Scott Johnston
