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Orange Tigers coach Nathan Pearce oozed confidence when speaking of his side’s Central West AFL top-of-the-table clash with Bathurst Bushrangers on Saturday.
Despite the Tigers travelling to George Park for the penultimate regular season round game, Pearce said his side had developed a ruthless streak not seen thus far in 2014.
“We haven’t let off in our big wins recently,” he said.
“We’ve kept our voice up, and held our structures throughout those wins. I think it puts us in a good spot, no doubt [today’s] game will be close though, Bathurst are a good side after all.”
Aggression and volume are key against the Bushrangers, Pearce said, as is shutting down their clinical half back line.
“They slingshot from there very, very well,” Pearce said.
“That is definitely where they are the most dangerous, and if we can shut down those guys it limits the scoring opportunities up front.
“We need to make sure we are aggressive, and loud right from the first bounce.”
Pearce went on to highlight Bathurst full-forward Tim Hunter as the Bushrangers’ danger man up front, and rightly so, Hunter is the leading goal kicker in the 2014 season with 85 - 25 more majors than second placed Tiger, Tim Barry.
“He’s never kicked that many against us, Nick Goudie has marked him really well but he is a threat,” Pearce said.
“It’s just about our other backline guys helping Nick out and dragging another player out, so we can get a third man up in the air.”
With the clash all-but acting as a grand final pre-cursor, Pearce said momentum and the psychological edge of winning are of utmost importance.
First bounce at George Park in 2.30pm.