STOPPING a charging Orange CYMS pack became that extra bit harder for the Bathurst Panthers this Sunday at Carrington Park with the news that front row enforcer Brent Seager won't be taking to the field.
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Seager will miss at least one week of action following a back injury which flared up in last round's Group 10 premier league derby win over St Pat's, putting extra pressure on the Panthers pack to stop a CYMS side who have charged inside the competition's top four.
Jed Betts steps into the starting front row position to play alongside Nick Loader and James Higgins.
It's not like a team gets to the top of the ladder on the efforts of one player alone, and Panthers will back themselves to steps things up in the absence of their star forward.
Panthers player coach Doug Hewitt said Seager's presence on the field is hard to replicate.
"He's an absolute machine. He played 80 minutes against Pat's so that shows the heart and sole that he puts into the game each week," he said.
"He's been put back together and is feeling better but he'll give it a week, if not two, to get it back together."
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Panthers crushed CYMS 46-16 on Orange's own turf earlier this season but a lot has happened since then.
One of those biggest changes happened just in the past week, with former South Sydney Rabbitohs player Damon Goolagong signing on with CYMS.
Coupled with their big 52-12 win over the Oberon Tigers last round the Orange men are sending ominous signs to the rest of the competition.
"There wasn't much in our first game against them until we got a bit of a roll on," Hewitt said.
"I think it's going to be a similar sort of game with whoever muscles up and gets that roll on - sometimes through a bit of luck - will go on with it.
"It was a great battle through the middle in the first game but with their signings and that score from last weekend I think they're more ready than anyone at the moment.
"CYMS are a team you can never take lightly regardless of who's on the paddock because they always play for each other. After what they did last weekend everyone's got their eye on them again, that's for sure."
Panthers were able to shake off the rust with last round's 30-24 win over Pat's, utilising the conditions well to launch a second half comeback.
"Those couple of weeks off before Pat's hurt us a bit, and we were a little lethargic, but we've come away better for that game," Hewitt said.
