If Orange City's Blowes Clothing Cup season was a movie, we'd be approaching montage time.
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The Lions are at their lowest point of 2019 - they've lost skipper Josh Tremain for the year and suffered back-to-back battering defeats at the hand of Bathurst Bulldogs and Orange Emus, after an oh-so-promising opening month or so.
But if Viv Paasi's troops were on the silver screen this is where it all starts to turn around: this is where the Rocky-style montage would begin.
Unfortunately, real life can't be montage-ed.
When it comes time to do the nitty-gritty hard work that movies package together in a neat little bow to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, you can't throw on Chariots of Fire and wake up a month later suddenly finding yourself in the finals, with the world at your feet and the monkey off your back.
We want to rebuild the culture around the club, we know we're up against it but we're trying to enjoy being around each other.
- Orange City skipper Cam Cole
That hard work actually has to be done, one of the numerous ways real life is less enjoyable than movies.
Orange City skipper Cam Cole knows there's no easy way for the club the montage through season 2019, which has left the Lions "up against it" for the past few years and still win-less this season.
However, he's not too focused on the silver screen romance of what could be born from the ashes of their season - if you'll pardon another movie cliche.
"I don't think we're thinking about the broader scheme of it too much, we're just focusing on what we can do," he said.
"It's strange, despite it all we're a really tight-knit group and we've really come together."
Cole said the club had made an effort to be around each other, especially in the wake of the two losses and Tremain's concussion issues.
"It's obviously a difficult time and we're looking at moving forward as a playing group, going up and up and still positive as a group," he said.
"We want to rebuild the culture around the club, we know we're up against it but we're trying to enjoy being around each other."
The side has a chance to make an impact on the field this weekend when the Lions travel to Forbes, but while the Platypi are second-last on the ladder and on paper the side Cole's men are most likely to take down, it'll be a tough battle.
"It's always hard going over there, they've got a good pack of forwards," Cole said.
However, the week off has provided the chance for the Lions to rest and reset ahead of the clash, with lighter training sessions last week to help sore bodies recuperate.
The Lions may also be bolstered in the short-term by the return of big-bopping centre Sam Dwyer, who's returned from a long holiday around the country and will likely begin full training next week.
Cole said he was unsure if Dwyer - who while fit is still "underdone" in terms of physical work - would slot straight back into the top-tier.
"I don't know if Viv wants to run him through the twos or straight into first-grade," Cole said.
"We've really missed a big centre we can chuck the ball to and follow."
Orange City take on the Platypi from 3.15pm at Forbes' Grinsted Oval on Saturday.
The Lions hadn't finalised their starting XV at time of publication.
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