RUGBY LEAGUE
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COMPLACENCY - it’s a word Orange CYMS player-coach Mick Sullivan hopes isn’t in his troops’ collective vocabularies.
With four wins from as many starts and a game in hand on all but one their rivals, the green and golds are soaring at the top of the Group 10 premier league ladder and have been all but untouchable over the opening third of the season.
Taking CYMS’ blockbuster performance in last weekend’s demolition of Blayney, and Cowra’s underwhelming start to the year, into account, the green and golds enter tomorrow’s clash at Sid Kallas Oval short priced favourites.
“We don’t want to go in with that attitude though, Cowra are there or thereabouts,” Sullivan said.
“They haven’t been getting beaten by much, so they’re due to hit their straps. In saying that, I don’t know much about them at all this year. “Traditionally their strong through the forwards and I don’t think that’s changed this year.”
It hasn’t.
With the likes of Toi Sepuloni, Hayden and Blake Tidswell and Ron Lawrence leading the Magpies’ pack, the performance and go-forward of CYMS’ pack is crucial. As is nullifying the Cowra quartet’s impact through the middle third of the field.
“We’ll keep focusing on matching it up front with these kinds of teams, our forwards are playing good footy,” Sullivan said.
“But it’s still about completions for us as well. If we continue to complete at a high rate I think we’ll win more games than we’ll lose.
“We don’t want to be chasing points in the make up game against Lithgow soon, so a win (tomorrow) is important.”
In an uncharacteristic defensive lapse, CYMS allowed Blayney to run in three unanswered tries in the final 20 minutes last weekend, but Sullivan’s not worried.
“Aside from that our defence has been exceptional,” Sullivan said.
“I think the boys just relaxed a bit, we’re not too worried about that.”
The green and golds face off with the Magpies from 1.45pm tomorrow.
ORANGE CYMS: 1 Tim Bassmann, 2 Semesi Katoa, 3 Jerome Harrison, 4 Ben McAlpine, 5 Robbie Mortimer, 6 Matt Rose, 7 Michael Sullivan, 8 Logan Pocklington, 9 Sam Hill, 10 Simon Osborne, 11 Kyran Bubb, 12 Trent Rose, 13 Tim Mortimer, 14 Scott Sullivan.
