NO pain, no gain - it is a mantra which many sporting teams have used to drive themselves in pursuit of glory and when the Panorama Platypi under 15s run out onto Carrington Park on Saturday, they too will be using a painful memory as motivation.
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When the Platypi outfit bowed out of last season's Western Women's Rugby League title chase after a two-point loss to the Wiradjuri Goannas in the semi-final, it was a result which stung.
But now the Platypi get the chance to avenge that loss when they host the Goannas in the final round match which will decide second spot on the ladder. It's the position the Michael Roels coached Panorama outfit are hungry to secure.
"It was heart-breaking for the girls when we lost that semi, they really tried hard in that game, so they really want to come out and have a go this week," Roels said.
"The biggest thing in that game was we came out in the second half and stopped playing, but our attitude this season has been a lot better in the second halves. So as long as we keep with them in the first half, we can run them down in the second."
Roels' confidence in his squad stems from what he has seen from them so far this season. The young Platypi have posted convincing wins over the Vipers (26-6) Castlereagh (44-6) and Mudgee (40-6) and were solid in a 14-4 defeat against the powerhouse Woodbridge outfit.
The coach has also seen improvement from his squad across the field.
"We've won three of four games, we lost the one game here to Woodbridge but that was three tries to one and last year they got us six tries to two, so we are getting closer to them," he said.
"We are strong all across the park, our backs have got good strength and pace, our forwards aren't afraid of getting hit and giving a couple out either. I've also got eight girls who can play any position on the field, so that's great.
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"From the first part of the season to now, the improvement is huge. The extra girls that have come in and are new, a couple of them have absolutely grabbed hold of it and said 'This is what I want to do'.
"Once they get a taste of that collision and making sure they do it right, getting their head in the right spot, making sure they use their arms properly, they realise they won't hurt themselves."
Like the Platypi, the Goannas have won three of their four games so far this season.
Roels knows they will provide a stern test, so is looking for the two most experienced members of his squad - Kate Fallon and his daughter Lauren Roels - to lead the way. He is also tipping forward Rhiani Rozga to make her presence felt.
"My daughter and Kate, they are two of the strongest players on the field every week," Roels said.
"Lauren plays lock in the middle of the field, which is the toughest position for defending, and I think she's probably saved eight or nine tries this year through her on-line defence.
"Rhiani Rozga, she started at the start of the year with us. In the first couple of games she got beaten up a bit, so I showed her a few more things with tackling and she just took off."
Saturday's under 15s match at Carrington Park kicks off at 11am, with the under 13s to play at 10am and opens from noon.
