That is the confident assessment from Bathurst Bulldogs captain Peter Fitzsimmons as his side prepares for its new-look Blowes Cup finals campaign.

It's a campaign that is different to how he and his team-mates had envisaged as week ago. Back then Bulldogs had expected to be hosting Forbes in the minor semi-final this Sunday, but the COVID-19 situation which forced Dubbo into lockdown changed that.

Now the finals series will be sudden-death for the entire top four, with Bulldogs' must win match being against Emus in Orange next weekend.

It's a very different situation than the 2019 edition of the Blowes Cup when Bulldogs won the title off the back of a minor premiership and home ground grand final.

Now there are no second chances, but as was the case two years ago, the skipper has belief in his side.

"We definitely have the side to do it. If you compare it to our side from 2019 we are not far off the pace of that side and our trainings are really seeming to hit heights at the moment," he said.

"It's been really good the last couple of weeks, so hopefully we can keep building and get the job done.

"I think we take a lot of confidence out of the fact we've beat the other teams at least once expect for Cowra."

READ MORE: Restructure leads to a sudden death clash between Bulldogs and Emus

READ MORE: Bulldogs will now face Forbes in a Ferguson Cup sudden-death qualifier

READ MORE: Dubbo lockdown forces changes to Central West Rugby Union finals

As Fitzsimmons points to, Bulldogs have beaten two of their three fellow finalists in Orange Emus and Forbes Platypi.

It is defending premiers Emus who Bulldogs must beat to reach the grand final, with minor premiers Cowra Eagles hosting Forbes Platypi in the other qualifier.

Fitzsimmons would love for his men to meet Cowra on grand final day. He wants the chance for them to prove that can beat the Eagles as he feels they've gotten their tactics wrong in the two previous clashes they lost 38-37 and 36-22.

"Cowra is the only team we haven't beat this year, but the two games we played against them were up for grabs," he said.

"I think we just got sucked into playing their football in the fact that they're quite a big forward pack, they're quite a big side and they really like to rumble, they really like to keep it tight and play that tough, grinding football and that's not something we are good at.

"Other than Mobbsy [Justin Mobbs] and myself we are not overly big at all, we've have got a lot of faith in front row, but they are not overly big and we just can't keep up with Cowra in that type of game.

"If we get the opportunity to play them again, which I hope we do because that's one game I'd really like to tick off this year, we have to play our game and not get sucked into that aggressive, grind football."

As much as he has faith in his side, Fitzsimmons knows the Eagles, Emus and Platypi have played some good rugby this season.

"Looking at results, Forbes has been a bit off the pace with Emus, Cowra and us, but the result between Emus and Cowra then the results between us and Emus, it's very, very tight. Forbes beat Emus early on too," he said.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: