RUGBY UNION
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MEETING the defending premiers in the opening round of a new season is never an easy task, but the Bathurst Bulldogs have formulated a plan to try and topple the Orange Emus when they meet at Ashwood Park tomorrow.
Play running rugby.
In preparation for tomorrow’s Central West Rugby Union season opener, the Bathurst Bulldogs have made fitness their number one priority.
It is that aspect of their game they will use to try and counter-balance a slightly smaller and younger team which will take to the field.
Certainly it is a very different looking Bulldogs first XV to the one that lost this corresponding game last year. The 2016 outfit has several returning players, but also new recruits and those promoted from colts.
Joel Harper, Brendan Nelson and Adam Miles all come into the first grade starting team off the back of their undefeated run to the colts premiership last year.
Bart Bogart and Jack Roberson return to add some fire to the back line, while Sam Roberson lines up at inside centre in his first match in four years.
A new first grade coaching staff of Brian Roberson and Phil Newton completes the list of changes.
“We had a great number of players roll up to training on Tuesday night and they all put in a lot of effort. It’s been business as usual, just focusing on our fitness and improving our work at the breakdown,” Roberson said.
“This is a very different team to the one that took the field for the first game last year, so you could say it’s a bit of a lottery. But with the work they’ve put into their training, I’ve got confidence in them.”
While playing Emus first up will be a stern test for Bulldogs, the match is only one half of what will be a difficult introduction to the new season.
Next Saturday they will be on the road against the Dubbo Kangaroos for what Roberson rates as one of the toughest starts to the season a team could face.
“We’re facing the acid test over the first two rounds with Dubbo to come. It will be a very big task for our players over these first two rounds,” he said.
“We’ve got a very mobile and fast team. There’s a lot of guys who are quick and good on the ball.
“We have lost some size with Lachlan Bull and Izaak Breen, who will be playing second grade, but they will be available to come off the bench for first grade.
“Emus are the defending premiers. They’re the ones with everything to lose and we’re going out there with nothing to lose.”
The opening match of the Bulldogs’ first grade season kicks off from 3.15pm at Ashwood Park tomorrow.
BATHURST BULLDOGS: 1 Sean Fogarty, 2 Mark Donnelly, 3 Joel Harper, 4 Ollie Barclay, 5 Brad Donnelly, 6 Ben Jones, 7 Brendan Nelson, 8 Adam Dwyer (c), 9 Dylan Sinclair, 10 Adam Miles, 11 Tyler Cook, 12 Sam Roberson, 13 Bart Bogart, 14 Kurt Weekes, 15 Jack Roberson.