Forbes Magpies first grade expect a tough contest this weekend, meeting a Nyngan team just as keen to secure a grand final meeting with CYMS.
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The fourth-placed Magpies have had a good run into the finals season, proving too strong for the second-placed Raiders at Caltex Park last weekend.
It came seven days after they beat Parkes Spacemen in week one of the finals.
Coach coordinator Cameron Greenhalgh says this Sunday’s games – at Parkes – will be tough.
Forbes has had a win and a loss against Nyngan but the Tigers are coming off a loss and will be just as keen to secure this weekend’s win and a grand final berth.
The Tigers also had a flying start to the finals, winning in all three grades, but were licking their wounds last weekend after going down in all three grades.
The Parkes venue is “the next best thing to Spooner Oval”, with Greenhalgh hoping there will be a lot of black and white in the stands this weekend.
“There were a lot of people who travelled to Dubbo to support us last weekend so I hope we can repay that support,” he said.
Forbes’ first grade team is in a good position injury-wise, they hope to welcome back Jarrod Reid this weekend.
Reid suffered a neck injury in the Parkes contest and has made a good recovery.
“It wasn’t as serious as we first thought,” Greenhalgh said. “He’s done well to come back quickly so we have no excuses rolling into this game.”
The Magpies’ forward pack has been the side’s strength this season and proved so in last week’s qualifier.
“The forwards last week were excellent, they paved the way for us," Greenhalgh said.
Last weekend, Macquarie looked to have a chance of coming back at the end of the game when forward Zac Merritt ran 55 metres and dispatched four defenders to seal the deal for the Magpies, before Ethan Gaffney scored his second try of the game to make it 40-20.
This weekend, against Nyngan’s big pack, the Magpies will also need watertight defence and this week’s training has focussed on that.
“We’ve got to get a good start,” Greenhalgh said.
“Sometimes we’ve leaked a bit at the start of the game and had to play catch-up.
“If we can get off to a good start and maintain our momentum it will go a long way towards securing us a grand final berth, but it won’t be easy. We’ve got to concentrate on a good kicking game.”
He says the same is true of the under 18s side, which also meets Nyngan this weekend at Parkes.
The juniors seek to meet Wellington in the grand final, but also expect tough competition this weekend.
