Orange Hawks captain-coach Willie Heta knows his side is in a far from ideal position leading into the 15th round of the Group 10 premier league season on Sunday.
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A supremely talented side, the two blues have been inconsistent throughout the season and, as Heta said, have “forced ourselves into a position where we’ve got to try and win the rest of our games now to make it in the five”.
If Hawks can do that they’re a real crack for fifth spot because, incredibly, they face all three of the other sides fighting for fifth and enjoy the bye in the final four rounds.
The two blues, sitting sixth, play seventh-placed Lithgow on Sunday, have a bye, then face fifth-placed Cowra the week after and finish the regular season against eight-placed Bathurst St Pat’s.
Cowra and Lithgow both have to face at least one top three side in the run home, while St Pat’s play both Workies and the Magpies as well.
So in theory, netting eight competition points from three straight wins and a bye should be enough for the two blues to slide into the semi-finals.
Easier said than done, but certainly possible for the side which, if it finds some much-needed consistency, many consider capable of causing plenty of headaches if it can slot into fifth.
“We’ve got to maintain [our performance across 80 minutes] and that’s what it takes to win games, the boys are understanding that,” Heta said.
Workies are just one point behind Hawks, a further three behind Cowra, and Lithgow coach Chris Rhodes has conveyed his desire to finish in the top five on more than one occasion.
Hawks travel to Lithgow to face Workies on Sunday, from 1pm.