Ask most players in the Blowes Clothing Cup where their least favourite place to run out is, and there’s a good chance to answer will be Endeavour Oval on a wet and rainy day.
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The home ground of Orange Emus has been known to turn into something of a muddy bog in the worst of conditions.
Even in the excitement around this weekend’s grand finals at the Orange ground, the thought of playing in the forecast conditions of rain and temperatures barely more than 10 degrees dampens the spirits slightly.
And while Josh Jasprizza would much prefer the sun to be shining come Saturday, the expected conditions will allow him to the play the type of game he thrives in.
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Jasprizza will line up in the front row for the Dubbo Kangaroos in this weekend’s decider clash with Orange City.
The forecast at Orange isn’t great reading, but representative prop Jasprizza won’t be too phased if the game does become of a war of attrition in the forwards.
“That’s why I love the game,” he said of muscling up against the opposition.
“That battle and trying to beat your opposite number.”
“I think it will be a tight game and quite close but if we keep it in the forwards we should be right.”
No matter the conditions, the minor premiership-winning Roos head into the game in a positive mood.
Jasprizza said his side is far from cocky as they expect Orange City to pose a much bigger test than it did a fortnight ago, when the Roos scored a 32-14 major semi-final win.
That put the Dubbo side through to the grand final while City got there after a tight, 26-24 win over Orange Emus last weekend.
“You can’t underestimate them, ever,” Jasprizza said of City.
“They’ll come back stronger after beating Emus and after we beat them with a pretty solid performance last time.
“We are quite confident and we’ve got numbers back after struggling with numbers for a lot of the season.”
Jasprizza is one who has missed games this year, partly due to the reason he was on representative duty.
He and scrumhalf and Roos’ key man Patty Berryman both played for Central West at the NSW Country Rugby Union Colts Championship.
“I was quite excited for rep this year. I made the under 19s (Cockatoos colts) last year but didn’t get as much time on as I’d like, being a bit younger,” he said.
“This year I was quite happy with it and I got a bit more time out there and got to show what I had.”
Jasprizza got to show his skills in a number of teams this season.
He’s played plenty of second and third grade for the Roos while he got a taste of first grade last year.
He’s one of a whole host of Roos colts who has played first grade this season, and the club is expected to turn out in force to support them in their decider on Saturday.
The colts side will be the club’s only representative on grand final day after the first grade team failed to make the top five, while the second and third grade teams were both bundled out in last weekend’s preliminary finals.
There’s been a close-knit bond within the entire club this year and a strong turnout of Dubbo fans are expected at Orange on Sunday, not just because a whole batch of Roos colts have played across the higher grades this season.
“We’ve had four or five blokes (from colts) play first grade and the first grade blokes are happy to help us however they can,” Jasprizza said.
“They’re happy to train with us and tell us what we need to do and when playing with your mates, even if you’re older, you want to impress them and do the best you can.
“Colts are tight but we’re mates with everyone and we all go to the pub after and have a good time.”
Saturday’s colts grand final between the Dubbo Kangaroos and Orange City kicks off at 11am.