PIRATES face their first litmus test tomorrow.
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Challenges don’t really come much bigger than Moree at Moree.
Even more so after the Bulls were well-beaten by long time rivals Narrabri last outing.
“We’re very wary of them,” Pirates coach Matt Kelly said.
“Particularly the likes of Heath Riggs at the back and Matt Wannan.
“We understand how potent he (Wannan) can be at the back of the scrum.”
They currently sit on top of the table on the back of good wins over Scone, and two weeks ago Barraba, although as number eight Andrew Wynne pointed out, the 40-14 scoreline against the Rams didn’t accurately reflect the game.
It was tougher than that.
In saying that, they could have put a lot more together on a dry pitch, Wynne said.
He made the most of a rare opportunity to have a run at number eight, picking up the three best and fairest points.
Usually playing on the side, he shifted back there in the absence of Conrad Starr.
Kelly said they know they’ve got to lift their game compared to the way they have been playing.
One of the big focuses over the break has been the breakdown.
The Rams are renowned for their spoiling ability and, in the first half at least, really made life hard for them at the breakdown.
They really shut them off being able to get quick ball.
“We’ve worked on getting past the ball,” Kelly said.
Generally though, Wynne said they’re pretty happy with the way the forwards are going, and their fitness.
“We’re trying to make forward work a big thing,” he said.
There is a lot of hype around them this year.
“We’ve had a good side every year, it’s just the ability to put it together,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot of people out of juniors stepping up.”
The likes of Nick McCrohan and Hayden Griffiths are two who spring to mind.
That’s making good competition for spots and pushing the older guys.
The Bulls will be a good gauge.
“That’s the test right there,” Wynne said.
“We don’t discount anyone in the competition but Moree and Narrabri are always up there.”
The memories won’t be good for those who made the trip last year, with the Bulls trampling them 60-11.
Kelly said it was imperative they play their own game and don’t play into the Bulls’ hands, like they did against the Rams.
“We want to play an expansive game and use our width,” he said. “We don’t want to be getting drawn into a battle at the ruck.”
They will welcome a couple of big inclusions, with former Eastern Suburbs centre Anthony Barbara to start at inside centre and former Randwick first grade five-eighth Mitch Bath on the wing.
In other games tomorrow, Barraba is at home to Scone, Quirindi host Narrabri, Gunnedah make the trip across to Tamworth and Walcha and Inverell clash in Walcha.