BATHURST Bulldogs coach Dean Oxley is man looking for a sign.
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Come Saturday afternoon at Ashwood Park, Oxley wants to see his men prove themselves against the undefeated, Blowes Clothing Cup leading Orange Emus.
While he would love that sign to come in the form of a win, thinking of the bigger picture, Oxley would be satisfied enough if his Bulldogs can play with patience and intensity and use the structures he has worked hard to implement.
“I’m not holding this game as a doom and gloom, but I need to see the signs,” he said.
“I’m not getting caught up in this result at all. It’s just about continuing to stick to our structures and do that under intense pressure. The opportunities we get this weekend will be limited compared to some of our other weeks, so it’s about being patient and retaining that structure even though Emus will likely squeeze us.
“While this result is important, it’s not going to be the making or ending of the season. It’s about just continuing to take the steps forward we need to make the club one, competitive, two, make the grand final and three, hopefully winning the grand final.”
Since toppling Emus 35-26 in the opening round of season 2014, Bulldogs have had no joy against the greens.
They have lost their last nine matches against the Orange outfit – the most recent of which was a 33-12 defeat at Endeavour Oval in round two.
It was a defeat which stung Oxley who said: “I have no doubt we could have won that fixture.” And when asked if it will serve as motivation this Saturday he responded: “Definitely.”
“At half-time, I definitely felt we’d played better football and were in the contest and didn’t execute, but created many opportunities and had them under a lot of pressure. But after a couple of injuries, some players retreated and that was a large concern,” he said of that defeat.
“I’m really looking for those players that are able to stand up under adversity and that will be the message for this weekend, this will be a dress rehearsal for harder games to come and those players who are showing the signs of being able to handle this level of football are really the ones I want to invest in.
“If we can create our own luck through our belief and our application, I think it will be a good game. They’re coming to our house and we have a real desire to make it a graveyard to others.
“They don’t have an aura, it’s just their ability to concentrate and they stay focused on the task, they don’t deviate from the task as much as some others sides do, they’re disciplined and they’re committed.”
Oxley, who has thus far used 30 different players through six rounds of first grade, will have his squad strengthened from the one which thumped Cowra 41-10 last Saturday. Harry Webber, Adam Powell and Riley Hanrahan return to the back line and Peter Fitzsimmons to the number 8 role.
Bulldogs will wear special Indigenous jerseys designed by first grade captain Fitzsimmons, who will notch up his 100th match on Saturday.
There will be a welcome to country and smoking ceremony before kick-off at 3.15pm, with Bulldogs celebrating their Memorial Day as well.