CLEAN deliveries and dictating the pace shape as the key factors for the Bathurst Bushrangers when they begin their AFL Central West title defence this Saturday with a local derby with the Giants.
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After fielding both an Outlaws and a Rebels outfit the past four years - the latter side the one which clinched the 2019 premiership - this season there will be just one Bushrangers team in the competition's top tier.
Many feel this makes the Bushrangers the clear title favourites and while co-coach Matt Archer has faith in his squad, he knows the Bathurst Giants, Orange Tigers and Dubbo Demons will present significant opposition.
The top three after nine rounds will advance to the finals, with the minor premier earning a direct path to the decider.
"It's been a lot of work over the last two years to maintain two competitive, healthy teams, but it should be beneficial for us now," Archer said.
"Across those two teams we were able to build a lot of trust and confidence in those guys that they're capable of playing first grade, whereas in other past years they might not have gotten that opportunity.
"It is exciting to have the one side now, but you try not to think too far ahead of yourself, it's that old cliche of taking it one week at a time. With this whole COVID thing, you don't know what everyone else in the competition is going to look like either.
"We've got plenty of confidence in our team and what our players are capable of, it will just be about executing."
The make up of the top-tier Bushrangers outfit includes plenty of last year's title winning Rebels. Bill Watterson, who was best on ground in the 9-15-69 to 5-9-39 win over the Orange Tigers, steps up to fill the vice-captaincy role.
Co-coaches Archer and Tim Hunter also form part of that experienced core and it is experience that they hope serves them well come Saturday's opening round against the Giants.
"Very excited, it's been a long wait and a long time coming, but everyone is just itching to get out there. You don't know what will happen in the future, so you've just got make the most of every game you get in this point in time," Archer said.
"It will be a really good hit out. They're a bit of an unknown, I think they've kept a handful of those players they probably didn't think they were going to have, so I think they'll be a lot more competitive than what people originally thought.
"Up on that top oval, it's a really hard ground to get your head around and they play on it really, really well. So it's definitely going to be interesting and a tough encounter, we expect them to come out all guns blazing and we'll have to be at our very best to walk away with a win."
With the Giants' squad featuring plenty of young talents, Archer knows the run they provide through the middle will be a major asset for them.
But it's something the Bushrangers have faced from the Giants in the past, so Archer is well aware of what his men need to do to combat that strength.
"With only 16-a-side now, all that pace through the middle is going to mean a lot, so the faster in the middle of the ground, the more dominant you're going to be and more damaging going forward you're going to be," he said.
"That youth and enthusiasm they'll have will be difficult to contain at times, but we've just to try and slow the ball down a bit, control it.
"As long as we can deliver the ball well and try and hold that ball up, stop them from counter-attacking, I think we'll go pretty close. We've just got to have the confidence to do it."
Opening bounce will be at 2.30pm at George Park 1 on Saturday.
