They tackle an Armidale Blues side stinging from their first loss of the season.

It will be their biggest test so far, Elks coach Sam Price said.

“They’ll be  hard to beat,” Price said.

“They’ll be big and strong as they always are.”

He said Robb probably hadn’t done them any favours rolling the Blues last week.

“I think it’s going to mean they’ll come out firing,” he said.

They’ll be wanting to show how good they are.

The Elks are yet to face the Blues but, from what he’s seen in the past, it’ll be crucial that they contain the Blues’ pack.

“We’ve got to slow their forward pack down,” Price said.

“Their outside backs will be fast as always.”

One way they can negate that is not allowing the Blues to get that roll-on through the forwards.

The challenge of holding their own has been made a bit more difficult by the absence of prop Fergus McIntosh.

He’ll be a big loss, Price said, especially at scrum time.

They’re also without number seven Billy Hartmann and will miss his ability to get around the park, and Sid Brummell.

Brummell could be gone for the season.

They’ll miss his versatility, Price said. He can play pretty much anywhere in the pack.

The Elks are still chasing that elusive first win, and Price wasn’t sure how the break would work for them.

With the stop-start nature of the competition,  they have found it hard to get any  flow.

They have had a few things to touch up on over the break and have really looked to tighten up their defence.

“Really, not giving away those easy metres one off the ruck that we have some times,” Price said.

The Blues will crucify them if they do.

In the other game, Baa Baas will be looking to bounce back from their last round to St Alberts when they host Robb.