THERE are 17 points between them on the Group 10 premier league ladder, but Bathurst Panthers will not be underestimating last placed Lithgow Workies Wolves this Sunday.
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Since Panthers last played Lithgow, beating them 40-6 in round six, Workies have strengthened their squad. The Wolves will also hold the home ground advantage on Sunday should Tony Luchetti Sportsground be declared fit to play on.
Bathurst Panthers manager Danny Dwyer believes the match shapes as a lot tougher contest than the second versus last fixture suggests.
“Hopefully we will get on, there was a little bit of talk that if there is too much more rain that it might be called off,” Dwyer said.
“Lithgow has been a successful side for a number of years now and while they have not been successful this year, that mindset is still there.
“When we played them the first time, they were good for the first 25 minutes. We got on top towards the end of the first half and ran away with it in the second half.
“But they are a big side, they have some big forwards. From memory Brendan West was very dominant against us and they have some new players now too. Playing at Lithgow is also very different to playing at Carrington [Park].
“We have got to go into it with the mindset that they are not last on the ladder, or the same thing that happened to us last weekend can happen again.”
Last weekend Panthers suffered a 34-16 defeat in their top of the table match against Orange CYMS.
The men in black scored the first 12 points of that match, but were made to pay for dropping their intensity after such a promising start.
Dwyer knows Panthers need to avoid falling into the same trap against Lithgow.
“I think on reflection, getting to the lead so easily so early in the game may have put us into the mindset that it was going to be an easy win,” Dwyer said.
“We have played some games this year when we have put in an ordinary performance and still won … I think some of the guys were thinking they would just go through the motions.”
Panthers will be missing Brent Seager for the match, so Jarred Seager will join Greg Behan in the front row.
Jye Barrow has been moved from the centres into the second row to give him more ball.
Sunday’s match at Tony Luchetti Sportsground is due to kick off at 2pm.
