Gordon to focus on lifting with ball in hand in Intrust Super Shute Shield clash at Orange's Wade Park

They were beaten 33-19 that day before going on to finish 10^th, then endured a disastrous year in 2018 that resulted in a wooden spoon, a number of absolute hammerings including a 97-14 loss to Norths and a litany of destabilising off-field battles.

But they return to Orange this weekend resurgent, an upheaval within the club and Darren Coleman's appointment as head coach acting as the catalyst for the Highlanders to once again become an Intrust Super Shute Shield force.

While they sit ninth with just two wins through eight rounds their performances have, largely, been excellent and in a competition as close as any in recent memory, are just three points outside the top six and every chance of knocking off the fifth-placed Beasties this weekend.

"Everything is really positive, the club is a good place to be at the moment and we're moving forward," Coleman said.

"It's been a tough few weeks with a couple of heart-breaking, last-minute losses and that does take a toll mentally. But with last week's loss to Norths it went right down to the wire and in the corresponding match last year we lost that 97-14, so there's no doubting we've taken a big upward turn.

"We just need to learn to turn those tight losses into tight wins, find a way to win those games but that's something we have to learn, going from being competitive to being winners."

Easier said than done though. Although Easts have been somewhat sporadic in 2019 they've found form and won their last three on the trot.

"Right now in the Shute Shield no matter who you play if you turn up and play well you're a good chance of winning, if you don't you're no chance," Coleman said.

"Easts will be hungry to keep going after three wins and obviously it's big day for them taking the game out to Orange and giving up a home game to do that.

"For us the big focus is improving in the attacking end. Our group defends with passion and we're leading the league in quite a few defensive stats, but we need to be a bit calmer, a bit more calculated and clinical in the attacking end.

"We've dominated teams with possession and field position at times but we haven't been good enough at getting the ball over the stripe, so that's our big focus at the moment."

The trip to Wade Park is one Coleman's not unfamiliar with after landing in Orange with the NSW Country Eagles in recent years, and he said it's an excellent point of difference for the competition, one his club is looking forward to.

Along with the Highlanders' first XV their second grade and women's sides will be in action this weekend too.

"I've been out there plenty of times with the (NSW Country) Eagles and for a few other things, I've got a lot of great rugby friends out in Orange and it's a great city, it's always a good time," Coleman said.

"Being a Sydney-based competition obviously we don't have those big trips, usually it's just a game-day drive so with full ones, twos and women's squads coming out the club's making a really big event of it.

"It's great that Easts continue to take these games out there, and everyone in our club's really excited to be a part of it, we're looking forward to a great weekend. It's all positive for us."

Buying into Orange Emus and Orange City's Indigenous round, Gordon will be wearing one-off jerseys as well, that are being auctioned off with fund set to be donated to the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Program.

You can head to the Highlanders' Facebook page for more information on securing one of the unique jerseys, designed by Orange's Sandon Gibbs-O'Neill at Burruguu Art.

Saturday's Intrust Super Shute Shield blockbuster kicks off at 3.10pm at Wade Park. The two clubs' women's sides face-off at Kinross Main Oval from 10.45am, with second grade kicking off at 1pm at Wade Park.