THEY might be both still testing the waters but Narrabri and Moree won’t be holding back at Dangar Park today.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The battle between the two heavyweights is always a highlight of the season, for spectators and players alike.
“The boys are excited,” Bulls co-coach Simon Hall said.
It will be their first meeting since last year’s grand final when the Blue Boars upset the Bulls on their home turf to claim back-to-back premierships.
Hall said being only the second round it did feel a bit different.
The last couple of seasons the derby has been reserved for the final round game.
“It is a bit strange,” he said.
“It feels like we only just stopped playing them last year.”
It was a bit like Groundhog Day for the two – playing each other three out of their last four games.
He has no doubt though it “will come back to the usual derby” once they get into it.
For them, today is about building on what they did against Gunnedah last week.
“We’re just looking for our execution to be more accurate and cleaner than last week,” Hall said.
“The effort and ideas were great last week.”
It just didn’t always translate into actions.
Not that that was unexpected being the first game of the season and having not really had any time together before.
Having played each other so many times they know what each other is about and, for the Bulls, a lot will hinge on how well they can control Blue Boars half-back Matt Schwager.
“He holds the key to their team – he’s the general there for them and directs them around the park,” Hall said.
“We have to have our defence alignment and communication up to scratch.”
They can’t get drawn into the Blue Boars’ game and be overcommitting at the breakdown when they don’t need to.
“Their structure, they tend to build pressure up through repeated phases,” he said.
“They wear you down.”
Heath Riggs returns at fullback for them but will be without prop John Adams.
Other than that they are pretty well unchanged.
“Hopefully Angus (Boileau) and Alex (Corlis) can keep working on their combination in the centres,” he said.
Last week was their first game pairing up there.