FIVE doesn’t go into three.
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That’s the scenario facing Pirates, Walcha, Tamworth, Gunnedah and Barraba as they make their final plays for a spot in the top tier.
Moree and Narrabri already have two spots locked up, leaving just three available.
And five teams fighting for them.
Pirates, Walcha and Tamworth have the front-running but, with the Rams hosting the Magpies, it leaves the door ajar for either the Red Devils or Barraba.
The Red Devils tackle Inverell while the Rams head to Quirindi.
Pirates, meanwhile, clash with Scone knowing they need to “get it right”.
Not only for the points but in anticipation of the challenge they will confront in the second round – if they make it.
There’ll be no room to fumble their way through as they have been.
The Brumbies aren’t travelling that well but Pirates won’t be taking them lightly.
Their game is a long way off where they’d like it to be.
As they did after the loss to Moree, they’ve recalibrated this week.
“Hopefully we can hit the reset button and we’ll see a different mindset this weekend,” coach Andrew Verrell said.
It’s been about the basics.
Their first-up tackles, for one, were “terrible” against Barraba last week.
“We’ve been focusing on the basics like chop tackles and trying to bring our pilferers into the game,” Verrell said.
“And playing with pace and playing with structure in support of the ball carrier,” he said.
They need to change what they’re doing.
“We need to make sure we’re hunting as a pack,” he said.
“We can’t play isolated rugby.”
They don’t have the size to.
He has to make a few personnel changes, with number eight Sam Collins out with a neck injury.
Outside centre Garrett Doughty is also out, forcing another midfield reshuffle.
They will have the services of his partner Jake Douglas though after the Cockatoos’ clash with Queensland Country was pushed back to two weekends’ time – but only for the first half.
He’s got commitments in Sydney and is flying down on the 5pm flight.
Verrell has also brought up a couple of U18s – Micah Scarth and Harrison Petit on the wing – to give them a taste of first grade.
“It’s a good game for them to start to find out what sort of pace is in first grade,” he said.