AFTER a frustrating five weeks in which they haven't been at their best, the Bathurst Bushrangers Rebels need to make a statement against Orange on Saturday according to co-coach Tom Regan.
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Five rounds into the Central West AFL competition, the Rebels were undefeated.
Since then, they have lost to Cowra, the Bushrangers Outlaws and Dubbo last week. Rebels also had unconvincing wins over battlers Young and the Bathurst Giants.
It has left them in danger of being caught by fourth-placed Dubbo.
"Orange have been on and off, they'd be disappointed with where they are on the ladder [sixth] but they still have some good players in their squad and are capable of a good performance," Regan said.
"We get a lot of players back who have been away for uni holidays and so forth, though, and getting personnel back on both the training track and into the game-day line-up is huge for us.”
Last time the teams met, Rebels won by seven points.