NOBODY panic.
Despite losing several key players in their 38-20 loss to Oberon - the Tigers first Group 10 win since 2006 - Orange Hawks captain-coach James Wynne says his side is still within striking distance of the competition’s big guns.
And he’s right.
The two blues boast just two competition points from five rounds of the 2012 Group 10 premier league season, courtesy of their 28-20 win over Bathurst Panthers in round two.
But joint premiership leaders, Mudgee and Bathurst St Pat’s, are only on seven points.
If nothing else is, time is on Hawks’ side.
“If we can string three or four wins together then we’ll be right back up there and our slow start to the season will be all forgotten,” Wynne said.
But if the points are to start ticking over this weekend, Hawks are going to have to pull off something special.
The two blues tackle arguably the hardest road trip in Group 10 tomorrow with a tough Mudgee Dragons unit ready and waiting to keep a wounded Hawks team down.
The Orange club will be without Group 10 skipper and Country Seconds representative Todd Barrow (ribs), utility back Kyle Byrnes (quad) and maybe even Wynne (bicep) for the Mudgee trip, with all three leaving the ground early in last week’s 18-point loss to the Tigers.
But Wynne was remaining up-beat.
“We’ve take a few positives out of the clash. We did quite well considering how many players we lost early. We’re not too far off a win and we’re hoping it starts in Mudgee on Sunday,” he said.
“They’re one of the top sides as well. It’s going to be tough.”
Wynne admitted he would have preferred his side had more wins under its belt than just the one after five rounds.
But he believes destiny is in their own hands.
“I don’t think we’ve been too far off. We’ve beaten ourselves most of the time instead of our opponents beating us,” he said.
Kick-off at Glen Willow is scheduled for 1.45pm.