While firsts and seconds will be chasing  berths   in next weekend’s deciders, their U16s and U18s will be contesting grand finals.

The 16s tackle Quirindi and the 18s defending champions Moree.

It could be one of the tussles of the day. 

Especially if their major semi-final clash two weeks ago is any gauge.

It finished in a draw  after the Bulls earned a last-minute penalty.

As the higher-placed side, the Bulls advanced straight through to the grand final, with Pirates having to negotiate a final against Tamworth.

Co-coach Stuart Prowse didn’t though mind the extra game.

“They really did us a favour,” Prowse said.

“We needed another good hard game under our belt.”

Despite the 40-12 scoreline, he felt they got that against Tamworth.

“They made us work hard for it,” he said.

“That was what we needed.”

Finals football is all about grinding football, he said, and the main message will be not taking the foot off the throat.

“We had them 10-nil up,” he said.

“We’ve got to keep the intensity up.”

And not make the silly mistakes they did two weeks ago.

“In the middle period when we let Moree back in we started playing some dumb footy in the backs,” he said.

“We started running laterally, which is not what we’re about. We’ve got to keep it straight.”

It will be as close to full strength as they’ve been and, if they can concentrate under the pressure that finals create for the whole game, they’ve got a good chance.

“If we can do that and play our brand of footy, we’ll give it a good shake,” Prowse said.