Boggabri Kangaroos will face a ‘back to the walls’ trip to Collins Park in Narrabri for today’s Round 12 game against the Narrabri Blues.
Narrabri might be last on the first-grade table but Boggabri coach Shane Rampling isn’t taking anything for granted after his side fell to Gunnedah in their Boyde Campbell Cup 30-14 local derby loss last Saturday.
It was a crucial loss to the seventh placed Bulldogs and left the Roos perched on 14 points, in fifth spot and one point behind fourth-placed North Tamworth.
“It’s back to the walls stuff for us,” Shane Rampling said.
“And it’s another local derby for us against Narrabri. Our season is on the line. We can’t afford another loss to a side below us on the table.”
“We’ve got to get back to our winning ways. We hit a speed bump last week. Got to regroup and refocus. It’s going to be another tough game too, Narrabri always are at home and we don’t want to repeat last week. Got to get started early and get an ascendancy.”
“All the boys are disappointed with how they played too. Gunnedah wanted to win it more than we did and here we have another team who is always up for the game against us.”
Boggabri also go into the game without Epali Vulaserau, Boggy’s leading tryscorer, Iliasa Kalokalodrau, Malakai Kovekalou and Cameron Kerr.
Rob Doolan is also having the week off, Shane Rampling added.
“We do get Stino (Penesoni) back though,” Rampling said.
“Josefa (Goanduadua) is also back and Jack Gillham is making a reappearance.”
“He did retire but got itchy feet a few weeks ago and signed on before June 30. He’ll be good for us.”
Rampling also believes Isaiah Adams, who lives in Narrabri, will also be up for a big game against the Blues.
“He (Isaiah) was crook last week. Him and Aaron (Hobden) struggled with the flu last week but they are okay this week. He will be up for a big game against Narrabri. We’ve just got to get back to doing what we do well otherwise we could lose touch with the top four.”
Narrabri coach Glenn Collins has named a strong side with centres Dylan Segundo and Robert Condron in good form along with the front row of Jeff Harvey, Daniel McMillan and hooker Aiden Butcher.
Secondrower Feleti Mateo has been one of the Blues’ best in this season and was a standout in the loss to Werris Creek in the wet last Sunday.
Mateo’s powerful bursts up the middle and on the fringes were impressive and ground-making for the Blues.
“He always charges hard,” Glenn Collins said of Mateo.
“Trains hard, runs hard.”
“I was going to play Aiden (Butcher) at five-eighth this week but he played so well at hooker down there (Werris Creek) I’ve left him there. Gus (Smith) is also good at hooker but I’ll play him at half.
“He got our players player award last week. Rob Condron also had a big game, I thought he was our best, just pinches metres all the time.”
Collins is hoping Sam Sadler is right to return from a hamstring injury and that Daniel McMillan is right to play after suffering a nasty head gash that required stitches last week.
Collins believes his side is on the improve and the only thing lacking at the moment is depth of experience for his side.
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