SHANE Rampling rates Saturday’s trip to Bendemeer a “must win” for his Boggabri Kangaroos in the third round clash.
Both Bendemeer and Boggabri are both chasing their first win after the opening two rounds of the Woodleys Isuzu Ute Group 4 first grade competition.
“We’ve got to regroup,” Rampling said after last weekend’s 52-22 loss to Dungowan at Dungowan.
“It’s only early days but a must win game for us.
“Got to win to keep pace.”
He was missing a number of players last Saturday and hopes to “have three or four back” for the match against Bendemeer.
“We had a couple away, a couple had to work and five were out injured last week,” Rampling said.
One of those injured players, Brendan Gillham, suffered a bad concussion but scans also showed he has a fracture in his back.
It was a previous injury that had gone undetected and now calcified.
“He’s a lucky young bloke,” Rampling said while also extolling the virtues of Kialu Brown.
Brown will be one of the Kangaroo spearheads at Bendy.
“He played his heart out against Dungowan,” Rampling said.
“He was dangerous every time he touched the ball and tackled everything all day. He gave 110 per cent.”
Saturday’s match pits the two winless sides of the Group 4 first grade competition.
Bendemeer has had arguably the toughest draw to start the year with games against North Tamworth and Narrabri.
Boggabri has so far played Kootingal and Dungowan this season.
