FACING a wealth of injuries and unavailability, Orange Emus will field a very different side to that which has won 10 of its first 11 games in the 2016 Blowes Clothing Cup.
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Seven of the greens’ regular first graders won’t turn out against the Gorillas at Narromine’s Cale Oval on Saturday, with Lachie Harris, Simon Badgery and Zac White all injured, while Nick Hughes-Clapp, Steve Fergus, Sam McLean and Andrew Cosgrove are unavailable.
“It’s good and bad,” Emus assistant coach Andrew Logan said.
“We wouldn’t have done it unless our hand was forced by injury and people being unavailable, but it gives the guys coming into the side a really good opportunity.”
One player who has already had plenty of opportunity and, as Logan said, taken it with both hands is flanker Andrew Selwood, who once again dons No.7.
“He’s the perfect example of a guy taking the opportunities he’s given,” Logan said.
“He was playing seconds but was coming off the bench and doing exactly what we need him to, making an impact. He always made an impact off the bench.
“Then he got his chance, took it. He scored the winning try for us against (Bathurst) Bulldogs last weekend.
“Honestly, I think any back-rowers coming back will now have to play him out of a spot, he’s certainly played himself into one.”
Logan also highlighted Jack Marchinton and Marty Bryan as two he’s keen to see take their opportunity when they come into the side this weekend.
Marchinton will play on the other side of the scrum while Bryan will line up on the wing.
Prop Michael Graham, utility Keith Howarth, No.8 Alo Finau and centre Simon Thompson also come into the side.
Logan said after two slightly underwhelming performances his side needs to lift its intensity in a bid to return to the form displayed in the opening half of the season.
“Narromine will present a similar physical challenge to Bulldogs I think,” Logan said.
“They’ve got some big, experienced forwards down that way and we need to rise to that challenge, especially at scrum-time and in terms of our close-in defence.
“We do need to lift our intensity after the last couple of games as well.”
Emus and Narromine kick off at 3.15pm.
ORANGE EMUS: 1 Michael Graham, 2 Tom Goolagong, 3 Nas Havealeta, 4 Scott McLean, 5 Keith Howarth, 6 Jack Marchinton, 7 Andrew Selwood, 8 Alo Finau, 9 Sam Green, 10 Todd Freedman, 11 Tom Green, 12 Simon Thompson, 13 Nigel Staniforth, 14 Marty Bryan, 15 AJ Sykes