Simon Osborne is fully aware finals footy is a completely different kettle of fish but he says his Manildra side is charging into the Woodbridge Cup finals with a renewed sense of belief.
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The Rhinos knocked over Molong for the second time this season in last weekend's final round, the 22-14 result befitting of a finals contest.
The two teams square off again in Sunday's qualifying semi-final, again at Jack Huxley Oval, and Osborne says last week's win coupled with their gritty 12-10 victory over Molong earlier in the year has the red and whites primed to earn another shot at Trundle in the major semi-final.
He said the "negativity" and "abuse" that somewhat stalled Manildra's second-half to the season was now gone.
Finals are always different, but beating (Molong) twice gives us that advantage.
- Rhinos coach Simon Osborne ahead of next week's qualifying semi-final with the Bulls.
After losing to the finals bound Grenfell, Canowindra and Trundle in the space of five weeks, Osborne was rapt Manildra was able to bounce back on the eve of the finals.
"We've come good but we had a few weeks there where we had a bit of negativity and we'd do something wrong and we'd drop our heads and compound it," the second-year Rhinos coach said.
"We sat down and addressed it at training and we're all positive now.
"Finals are always different, but beating (Molong) twice gives us that advantage."
Backrowers Harrison Gersbach and Mitch Gallagher starred for the Rhinos in their second win over Molong this year.
But Osborne said the highlight of the game was wiry young winger Zac Reimer putting on a massive shot on the Molong fullback.
"It's the biggest shot I've seen Zac pull off. He folded their fullback in half," Osborne said.
"Our defence has picked up a lot in the last couple of weeks. We've just got to pick up our attack.
"But I think we're playing some good footy so we're looking forward to the finals."
In other round 18 results, Canowindra will head into the elimination semi-final full of running after a 82-2 demolition of Eugowra, while Grenfell will be similarly buoyed after a 120-0 thrashing of Condobolin.
In the other game, minor premiers Trundle secured a 70-0 victory over the Blue Heelers at Cargo.
In the Cup's lower grades, Cargo and Molong will meet in the youth league elimination semi-final on Saturday at Canowindra while Grenfell and Trundle have both booked a spot in Sunday's qualifying semi-final. Premiers Manildra have the week off.
While in league tag, Grenfell and Manildra face off while Condobolin and Canowindra put their seasons on the line in the elimination semi-final at Tom Clyburn Oval.
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