Oakey ready to pull off TRL Premiership upset
RUGBY LEAGUE: They haven’t laced up a boot since April 29, but Oakey remains hopeful of pulling off the upset of the TRL Premiership season tomorrow.
They are currently enjoying their best start to a season in years, and sit just outside the top five on the back of two successive wins.
They come up against another in-form side in Wattles, however coach Tom Friend is lamenting the long break his side has faced.
“The weeks off have been terrible really. We just got ourselves going, but it’s no good at this time of the year,” Friend said.
“It’s hard to keep them match fit. A lot of them are working and it’s hard with training to concentrate with bush footy. Some can only train one day a week and a match is the only way to get match fitness.
“When you’re not getting much for it, how do you expect them to keep doing it. It’s only bush footy and they’re not getting a fortune. Work comes first.”
Despite the timing, Friend said it was important his side lifted over the next three weeks with tough games to come.
“It’s very important to keep ourselves at 50 per cent. We had a good win at Gatton then in Goondiwindi,” he said.
“Gatton was the first game we had everyone available and then we went to Goondiwindi with the same 17.
“This week Dylan Haaijer has a fever and is potentially in doubt. Josh Robinson isn’t 100 per cent and he needed to get his leg strapped at training on Tuesday.”
Friend identified the forward battle as the key to slowing Wattles down and boost their chances of coming away with the upset in Clifton.
“There’s not too many places where you can go at them. It’s a matter of us standing up,” he said.
“We have come a fair way and this is a good chance to see how far we have come.
“To stop Wattles, we have to stop their forward pack. I’m happy with the backs we’ve got. They’re pretty handy, and we’ve got a pretty big pack ourselves.
“Young Corey Mullins will need to stand up, especially if Dylan is out. Shane Turl and Luke Penrose will have to take the bulk to help nullify their backs.”
Friend will look for fullback Dylan Adamson to have a big impact, and said while he has gone unnoticed throughout the league, his strong form hasn’t slipped past the coach.