A home semi-final is spurring the Cowra Eagles on in Saturday's Blowes Clothing Cup trip to Orange's Endeavour Oval to face Emus, but so is the lure of potentially earning a crack at grand final hosting rights should everything, albeit improbably, fall into place.
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The third-placed Eagles are 11 points clear of nearest rival Dubbo Kangaroos and need only to secure one more win to lock up the elimination final's hosting rights, that's the main goal but there is still a mathematical possibility they can leapfrog Emus into second.
If they win their three remaining regular-season games with a bonus point and Emus lose drop all three without claiming any bonuses, the Eagles would land in the major semi-final and be one win away from bringing the decider to Cowra Rugby Ground.
It's now the time to step up and prove that we have the right attitude to succeed.
- Cowra skipper Chris Miller
It hardly seems likely the defending premiers will lose three consecutive games and even if they did it's hard to fathom them not picking up a bonus point or two anyway, but returning Cowra skipper Chris Miller said there's no reason his side shouldn't shoot for the stars.
"If we play to our potential in the next three rounds there's no reason we can't get into that second spot," he fired, having been named to play his first game since dislocating his shoulder against Bathurst Bulldogs earlier this season.
"(But) we're gunning for that third spot ... it would work in our favour to get that third spot and have a (home) semi (and) we owe it to our supporters and to ourselves to get that.
"The club's supported the player in pretty much every adversity that there has been this year... as players it's now time for us to step up and we owe them the faith that they've shown in us, we owe that back to them."
Having Miller, a former Central West skipper and NSW Country Cockatoo, is obviously huge for the Eagles' aspirations, with Tim Berry also coming back into the side after missing last week's upset loss to Forbes.
Miller admitted he will need surgery on his shoulder after the season, but will play through any pain in the meantime to try and help his side a much-coveted title.
First job is Emus though, and he said the Eagles' attitude is the key on Saturday.
"I think it's a lot to do with attitude and the want to win ... I think Forbes just wanted it a bit more than what we did (last weekend)," Miller said.
"It's now the time to step up and prove that we have the right attitude to succeed at the back end of the season."
Kick-off at Endeavour Oval is at 3.15pm.
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