After a pre-season full of momentum, you could make the case that Brad McMillan's Golden Eagles have gotten off to an anticlimactic start to this year's Woodbridge Cup competition.
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Eugowra has just two wins to its name through seven weeks of action and sits in sixth spot on the ladder.
And while the captain-coach concedes the side has somewhat under-performed so far, he isn't willing to chalk that up to lack of talent.
In fact, the former Forbes Magpies enforcer confidently dubbed his pack as the best in the competition ahead of the side's round eight tilt against the high-flying Trundle Boomers.
"There's no forward pack in the competition that's better than ours," McMillan said.
"I've been happy with the way the boys have been going this season, we haven't had the rub of the green in a few games and there have been some decisions that changed the outcomes of games."
He's supremely confident in his forwards, but McMillan is also thrilled to welcome back strike centre Mitch Hutchings this weekend, a player who once scored north of 30 tries during a season in his first stint with the Golden Eagles before a season with Manildra.
"He's been out for a few weeks with a calf strain but bringing him back will make a massive difference," he said."
"He's got the ability to get across the line which is something we've needed in the last few weeks. We've been creating the opportunities but just haven't been able to score."
Winning just two games in the first two months of play isn't ideal, but Eugowra's form guide doesn't read too badly.
The margin in each of its last two losses have been 12 points as they fell 26-14 at Manildra, before falling short at Molong 24-12.
Translation? The Golden Eagles aren't too far off the pace.
It's a pace that's been set by first-placed Canowindra Tigers, a squad that McMillan thinks is head and shoulders better than the rest of the competition.
In fact, the Tigers travel to Manildra for a round eight blockbuster, and McMillan's backed Kev Grimshaw's men to do it easily.
"I'd be surprised if Canowindra didn't beat them by 20 plus," he said.
"Canowindra is definitely the team to beat in the competition. Don't get me wrong, Manildra is a good side, but I don't really see the hype for them this year.
"I think they have a lot more weaknesses than Canowindra does. Even Molong... when we played them, that was our hardest game of the year."
But for now, the attention is well and truly fixed on Trundle as the defending premiers will visit Eugowra Sports Ground for a 3pm kick-off.
"I don't know too much about Trundle but I know they're going to be pretty young and fit," he said.
"Getting Hally [Adam Hall] back is a big boost for them."
Saturday's main event will be for the Leon Goodwin Memorial.
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