Off the back of a two-point loss to competition heavyweights Warialda, the Uralla Tigers men’s side are aiming up again this Saturday when they play ladder leaders Tenterfield.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Uralla were beaten 18-16 by the Wombats in Warialda after being down 14-4 at half-time.
“We were very unlucky last week against Warialda, even they stated that we should have won so that is a positive for us,” stand-in coach Scott Swain said.
The Tenterfield Tigers team are unbeaten from five starts and are coming off a 42-16 win over Walcha.
Uralla will be on home turf this Saturday at Woodville Oval and have yet to post a loss there.
“We are at home and the big deal for us is we just don't want to lose at home this year,” Swain said.
RELATED:
“If you don't lose at home for the season you will be right up there with a chance in the semis.”
The visiting side may not possess the biggest forward pack in the competition but they have posted plenty of points with speed and agility in their backline.
Swain said his side are aware of the dangerous Tenterfield outside backs but believes his team can stop them.
“We just have to use our big men properly up front and hopefully get them on the back foot and be defensively sound out wide,” he said.
“Obviously they are scoring a few points out wide and we are really switched on in relation to that.
“Because it is so dry, it will probably be more suited for the faster men but if we can shut that down and try and keep it tight we will be in with a chance.”
Tenterfield have struggled to pull together numbers in away matches – with 15 turning up to Bingara and 16 against Ashford – but Swain is expecting them to be full-strength.
“We have to think they are coming with their full side and they would be silly not to because Warialda probably should have beat them in Tenterfield from what I hear and we got beaten by Warialda by two so they know we are going to be competitive,” he said.
“We are looking forward to the battle against Tenterfield because we really have to keep them honest in this competition.
“If they beat us and skip ahead by everyone, we don't want that.
“We want to keep it as tight as possible so anyone is in with a chance.”