They were pivotal figures playing in the backline in Central North’s Country Championship quest, and on Saturday Andrew Moodie and Simon Newton loom as masters of their respective sides’ destiny when they line up against each other.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The battle between the two playmakers will be one of the decisive match-ups when Pirates and Walcha meet in a top of the table clash at Walcha.
Both sides are undefeated and regard the clash as their biggest test.
“We’ll find out where we are,” Rams co-coach Barry Hoy said.
The home side will be missing inside centre Pat Keen, who has Country commitments, and breakaway Will Fletcher.
Both are big losses but Hoy said the side is fortunate that their replacements have plenty of first grade experience.
Ed Blomfield comes into hooker with Dave Healey reverting to breakaway, while Pete Young pairs up with Ed Cordingley in the centres.
“We’ve just got to try and nullify their forward pack,” Hoy said.
He said Pirates are solid all over the park, but if Walcha can stop the visitor’s forward momentum it will cut down the room the backs have to operate in.
Making their first-up tackles will be critical to that, he added.
“If we can get them on the deck we’ll be a good show but if we let them run we’ll be in trouble,” he said.
Discipline will also be a key, he said. They don’t want to be giving Pirates a free march down the field, or cheap points.
Hoy also pinpointed the breakdown as a crucial area.
“Their bigger fellas, they can hold you up,” he said.
“Our body height has got to be good.”
Ben Goodman’s return is the only change for Pirates with Nick McCrohan pushing back into the second row.
Fresh from whipping cross-town rivals Tamworth, Pirates coach Mat Kelly said his side is looking forward to “seeing how we benchmark in terms of the competition”.
“It’ll definitely be a step up. We’ve spoken about it heavily. We know it’s the game of the year so far,” he said.
He said there are “no secrets” in terms of the approach both sides will take.
“I think they’ll come at use through the backs and we’ll look to come at them through the forwards,” Kelly said, adding that it will be won and lost “all over the paddock”.
“If you’re too relaxed in one area, they’ll hurt you in another,” he said.
“We know it’s going to need to be an 80-minute performance.”
Kelly also alluded to the need to be disciplined, and said controlling Newton will be critical to the result.
By that he meant cutting down his time and space.
