NO team in Group 10 premier league carried such large expectations into season 2016 as the Oberon Tigers and so far they have delivered.

The good news? Seven wins in eight games have taken last year’s wooden spooners to the top of the table and rallied the town together as they begin to believe Oberon could win the competition. 

The bad news? A real test of the Tigers’ depth is about to unfold over the coming month thanks to a combination of injuries, absentees and suspensions.

Luke Christie-Johnson is facing a five week suspension, and Trent Rose and Blake Fitzpatrick three weeks at the Group 10 judiciary this Thursday night for their tackle on St Pat’s player Brady Cheshire during the Tigers’ sole defeat this season.

Combined with star signing George Rose’s one remaining week of suspension, Oberon are looking down the barrel of a match against defending premiers Orange CYMS without their first-choice front rowers.

Kirk Roberts will be absent with other commitments over the coming weeks while Matt Ballinger is nursing an injury. 

Yet Tigers coach Zac Rowlandson is simply happy to be sitting at the top of pack going into what will be one hell of a test for his depleted squad.

“I don’t think we’re the top side in the competition at the moment, but I definitely think we’re top three. I think we’ve performed better than most would have expected,” he said.

“The club’s been in much worse situations than what it’s looking at right now. It’s good that we’ve put ourselves into this position where we can afford to lose a couple of games. The couple of weeks off for us has helped, because a couple of guys who have had some niggling injuries have been able to sort those out.

“We’ve always had good support, but this year we’ve had even more people getting involved. The girls [league tag] are struggling a little, but it’s great to see three grades of the Tigers playing very well.”

The inclusion of the Rose brothers – George, Matt and Trent – was the biggest talking point of the Tigers’ pre-season. But to say that their turnaround is the result of just three signings would be absurd.

The entire Oberon forward pack has been a force to be reckoned with so far this season.

Halfback Anton Wereta has forged a great partnership with Matt Rose, while Abel Lefaoseu and Jackson Brien are proving one of the most potent centre pairings in the competition.

The great platform laid by the opening half of the year has given Rowlandson confidence his team can go into the pointy end of the season carrying a little less pressure.

“The best part is that everyone out there has done their job this season,” he said.

“We’ll finally have Jason Ferris back for us, and that’s going to be a big bonus. Riccie Arriola has been killing it. He got himself a Western Division start and he’s been really consistent in every game he’s played.

“Our wingers, Tyler Hughes and Blake Miller, have been massive for us. You go back and watch the match tapes and you realise how great their finishing has been for us. 

“Without it we definitely wouldn’t have won as many games as we have.”