Tamworth coach Peter Burke says he's not too concerned about the Magpies losing their momentum should the New England competition be able to resume within a couple of weeks.
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The competition is presently temporarily suspended in the wake of lockdown orders.
Before COVID interjected, the Magpies were starting to really find their form. They had won their last two and jumped back into fourth with two rounds remaining.
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Speaking with The Leader before Saturday's announcement that the whole of regional NSW would go into a seven-day lockdown, Burke said a break of a couple of weeks would give the players with niggling injuries "a good break" and was confident that if he could get the same team on the paddock they could "finish strongly".
"I'm more than happy with way we are progressing and I can't see why we can't continue that when we come back together," he said.
The veteran mentor has over the season expressed frustration at his side's performance, but was "really, really happy" with the way they were coming on.
"I thought we were starting to do well in our scrum, we were starting to do well in our lineout and our backs were starting to penetrate," he said.
Defensively they had also stepped up, conceding only two tries in their last two games.
Will Burnett's season-ending injury was a bit of a blow but Burke is confident they can cover that.
The return of a couple of familiar faces in recent weeks has been a welcome one.
"The Mitch Watts' and Harry Snook's, and the Ben Wallace's of the world, have really filled some holes," he said.
"We were having players playing out of positions in their roles."
All three had been plying their trade in the Shute Shield colts competition.
Burke also noted the progress in the likes of Col Fogarty and Liam Allen. The former's progression has been particularly pronounced.
"Col before this season had never played rugby," Burke quipped.
"I've watched him progress through third grade to second grade, and he's now played three or four games of first grade."
He has also been encouraged by the hunger he is seeing "in the Jack Barker's and Nick Wiseman's of the world".
He has been "giving the boys a break from me" during the lockdown but said he has noticed through the group chats some of them having been working out fitness plans together.
"They know if they want to win a premiership they've got to keep their fitness together," he said.
The Magpies are due to face Armidale and Robb in the last two rounds.
