NEWTOWN captain Mat Skinner admits his side will be within touching distance of this season's Whitney Cup minor premiership if they can defeat RSL-Colts in today's top-of-the-table clash.
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The Tigers have been runaway leaders for much of the season but two losses in their past three matches, combined with Colts' hot run of form, has seen their lead dramatically cut.
But with only four rounds remaining following today's action Skinner knows his side can reassert themselves with a big performance at No. 3 Oval.
"It's the perfect time to play Colts, we're all really up for it," he said.
"If we lose this we'll be level with them but if we win we'll be about to games ahead and it (minor premiership) will be very close so we've just got to keep on winning."
Newtown were stunned by Macquarie last week but Skinner said despite the Blues bowling well there were a lot of "silly shots" played by his side and there would be a real focus on building an innings today.
The Tigers skipper admitted he was looking forward to today's match and said his side would be as close to full strength as they could be.
Tetaan Henning is expected to return after only featuring sporadically so far in 2014-15 while it marks Nick Cushan's final game for the club this season.
"It's his last game before shoulder reconstruction next week and that's a huge loss for us, he's been the opening bowler and good in the middle order," Skinner said, before saying how impressed he'd been with young all-rounder this season.
"He's stepped up a lot, I knew he was a good player and capable but I didn't think he'd go as well as he has, he's really played out of his skin."
Skinner said there was no doubt about where RSL-Colts' main danger came from.
Tim Cox has missed much of the season through representative commitments but still sits third in the Whitney Cup wicket-takers column while spinners Wes Giddings, Greg Buckley and Nathan Jones sit in the next three spots.
"Coxy always bowls well, it doesn't matter what time of the game," Skinner said.
"Wes buys his wickets a bit, he plays a big mental game and that works for him and we know Buckley will bowl well too but I think we've got the batsmen to cover that and batsmen that can turn the strike over and handle it."
Colts have been dealt a blow with the news leading run-scorer Paul Hulthen is expected to miss the match, meaning the bulk of the batting will come from the likes of Buckley, Matt Keenan and Chris Morton.
While the Colts batting lineup is hit by the loss of Hulthen, Skinner has full confidence in his own batsmen, with the captain, Steve Skinner, Wayne Dunlop, Dan Holland and Cushan all impressing this season.
"Our top seven can all score hundreds and we haven't had that for years," he said.
"We could put our top seven in any order and everyone is still capable of scoring runs."
Today's match begins at 1pm.