SOME Bathurst Bushrangers players will still be tending to their wounds and making a recovery from the first intra-club derby of the season when the second edition rolls around this Saturday.
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In one of the shortest turnarounds between a Bushrangers derby, at just 28 days, both the Outlaws and Rebels will have the memory of the previous, hard-fought meeting fresh in their minds.
If this Saturday's game at George Park 2 comes close to the quality of the Rebels' 69-67 win in May then spectators are in for a show.
There's more on the line for the Outlaws in part two of the all-Bushrangers affair.
The team are stuck in a three-way tie on 20 points with the Dubbo Demons and Bathurst Giants, while just two places are free for a finals spot.
You have to go back to early May to find the last time the Outlaws put together two straight weekend of football together.
Outlaws co-coach Steve Grundy is hoping the team can find some rhythm and piece together something special like that previous derby game.
"For both teams it was the game of the season. I think no-one on the field that day held back," he said.
"It's a bit of a funny draw and a bit of a shame this game came around so quick. On the other hand it's good to get it out of the way because it's always a tough one.
"You're probably lucky if you get a win and unlucky if you get a loss.
"It's funny to say but the last derby was probably our best performance of the season and we lost. We took a lot from that day. We won't change things up too much. I can only hope we play as good as that one."
Outlaws made easy work of Cowra last Saturday but Grundy knows there's improvement to be made.
"We just need to seize the moment a little. Last week against Cowra we kicked a lot of behinds, which shows we're creating the opportunities ... but when you start missing then that can be contagious," he said.
Rebels sit a win clear of the tied trio of teams and aren't exactly willing to give away that advantage.
But if they're to hold their spot then co-coach Matt Archer knows his team will have to be far better than they were in last Saturday's loss to the Demons.
"Outlaws have hit some form too and they were probably unlucky not to beat us in the first derby," he said.
"We can sit here, lick our wounds and say 'we've got so many players out' but we continue to trust the guys we've put on the field and they're doing the job week in, week out.
"It's hard to get your skill and composure back if you don't have it at the start. That will be the focus."
Archer is thankful the Bushrangers derby is just a twice-a-year feature, given the physical toll of the contest.
"It only seems like yesterday that we played. Half the bodies probably haven't even recovered from that first game," he said.
"You're glad they don't come around too often and hopefully this will be the last one before the grand final. We'll no doubt get the best out of each other again."
Outlaws have Adam Ryan and Tom Cooke back but will be without Sebastian Matheson.
Rebels will welcome Scott Brown and Ben Phillips back into their squad this Saturday.
The derby starts 2.30pm on George Park 2.