At my signal, unleash hell: CYMS, Hawks set for brutal derby clash

There’s a telling statistic that lends itself to that theory too, in the five wins the sides have secured between them, they’ve scored first points in every single one.

“We’ve scored first points in our games and if you look at Hawks, when they’ve won they’ve done the same thing so I think the first 10 or 15 minutes will have a big influence on the result,” Sullivan said, Heta agreeing.

“I said [after last week’s 72-12 loss to Bathurst Panthers], I don’t think we’re going to be a team that likes chasing points so getting on top early will be pretty big for us,” Hawks’ mentor said.

“Errors were a big problem for us last week but they came a lot from us trying to chase the points, maybe trying a bit hard, when we were behind.”

Both captain-coaches agree earning a win in those first exchanges will come through their respective forward packs.

Both CYMS’ and Hawks’ packs have been magnificent so far this season. Even in last weekend’s drubbing, the two blues’ pack wasn’t monstered by Panthers’ massive forwards at all.

However the green and golds are light on this weekend, in that department.

Outside props Chris Bamford and Cam Jones, the green and golds don’t boast the size Hawks do, nowhere near it in fact.

Tim Mortimer has been electric at lock, but isn’t huge, while Brock McGarity is joined in the second row by Rob Mortimer. Both are normally centres.

Sullivan has named two halves – himself and Lachie Munro – and a small back-rower in Adam Stanford on the bench.

Compare that to Hawks’ pack – Sia Nomani and Krus Robinson up front, Ethan McKellar, Brett Morgan and Nathan Potts in the second row and Arty Shead and Jack Middleton on the bench.

It’s obvious where the size advantage falls.

Sullivan’s not worried though.

“There’s not really any doubt the best way for Hawks to go into the game will be big, hard and fast in those early stages and they do have a big pack,” Sullivan said.

“Hawks have some danger men out the back too like Jedd Kennedy, Jordan Baker has speed out the back too, Sione Tongia’s a danger as well, but it’s the same with them as it is with the halves. If there’s no go-forward they won’t be able to do too much.

“Rob comes in to the back row for Brendan Cousins, we actually put him up to front row for a little bit against Cowra, he did a good job.

“Second row is a bit foreign to Rob but he’s done well. It’s actually worked quite well for our shape, having Rob and Brock – both centres – playing in the back row.

“Our guys in the middle, Chris (Bamford) and Cam (Jones), have been magnificent, so it’s allowed those guys on the edges to play a second row, centre role. That’s something else we’d like to continue.”

“We need to stop them in the middle,” Heta said, simply.

“I don’t actually know a lot about CYMS, or any side really, but I know they’re a strong club and they’ve played well through the forwards.

“We’ll try to win that battle up-front and play from that.”

With CYMS unbeaten on top of the standings and Hawks sitting sixth with two wins and two losses, Sunday’s fixture shapes as a pivotal one for both clubs. Season defining almost for Hawks, Sullivan says.

“I’d think Willie might be looking at this one as a bit of a make-or-break type game. Hawks can go three and two or two and three after this game and with being a derby as well, it could really set up a season,” Sullivan explained.

“Coming off a loss like that to Bathurst Panthers too, they’ll obviously be very motivated.

“It’s a bit of danger game for us in that sense, with Hawks wanting to hit back. We’re trying to take the emotion of it being a local derby out of the equation and just continue playing the way we have been, and the way we want to.”

While Heta didn’t confirm Sullivan’s theory, not in those words anyway, he did say the local derby has come at the perfect time for his side.

“I spoke about attitude after last week’s loss and how it needed to improve but I don’t think there’ll be a worry this weekend,” he said.

“I certainly won’t have to work hard to get the younger guys or the guys that have been here for a while up for the game.

“Training was good on Tuesday and we [trained again] on Friday night, I just thought the gap between a Thursday session and Sunday game might a bit too much.

“I’m really looking forward to it.”

In a couple of changes, Jack Aumuller comes back into the centres for Hawks and Bobbie Brown moves from hooker to halfback.

League tag kicks off Sunday’s massive derby day at Wade Park, at 10am. The main game kicks off at 2pm.