The Rhinos were brushed aside 106-3 by the Blowes Clothing Cup’s runaway leaders, Orange Emus.

With players missing through injury and unavailability in recent weeks the club’s depth has been seriously tested and in the last four rounds the side has conceded a total of 297 points while scoring just 29.

“To be honest, we discussed forfeiting second grade during the week but the guys rallied between Thursday and Saturday and we had enough and got through the day,” Burns said.

“It was tough and a few guys had to back up and play both.

“Injuries aren’t helping but, I suppose, our playing stocks aren’t helping. There was a couple of guys who played a couple of games and some of them in first grade who really aren’t up to it.

“It’s a rough spot to be in playing the competition’s two best sides in a row, that doesn’t help us, but that’s the nature of the draw.”

Next weekend the Rhinos host CSU Bathurst, the only side not to have won yet this season and a club which has also battled for numbers at different times.

That is followed by a clash with fellow battlers Mudgee and Burns said that level of competition, as well as the expected return of a number of players, bodes well.

“Playing sides of a similar quality will be better for us and we’ll be back home next week too,” he said.

“The void between sides like us and Mudgee and the teams at the top like Forbes, Bathurst (Bulldogs) and Emus is widening and it’s tough to try and keep guys positive on days where it’s 106-3.”

Burns said the pain is both mental and physical for his sides but added he was proud to see the strong core group of players turning up week in, week out and putting in until the final whistle in every match.

He highlighted Kane Rich as someone other players can look to, as he “doesn’t miss a minute and plays his heart out” every week.

For Orange Emus, the lead at the top has now stretched to 11 points.

The greens racked up triple figures for the second time this season and despite missing half a dozen guns of their own, it was a simple case of Emus being far too good for the Dubbo side in every facet of the game at Endeavour Oval.

It didn’t help Rhinos were forced to play the majority of the game with 14 men, after inside centre Javarn Nofoagatotoa was red carded in the first half for striking. 

Emus have secured maximum points in all 10 games this season, and Dubbo Kangaroos’ victory over second-placed Forbes helped stretch Emus’ buffer at the top of the table.

But, as you’d imagine, it’s not a game the greens can take much from, other than their ability to not let complacency creep in.

“Performance wise we were pretty good. We were a bit disjointed early and it probably took us about 20 minutes to hit our straps and we’ll take any win we can get, but you don’t read into those ones too much,” Emus flanker Jack Marchinton said.

“The Rhinos boys were struggling for numbers, we knew that going into the game, but they showed plenty of heart like they always do.”

Ross Gilmour kicked his side’s only points on Saturday.