When Dubbo Kangaroos star Lillyann Mason-Spice says her side's training sessions have been more difficult than some of the matches played this season it's not an insult to her Westfund Ferguson Cup rivals.
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The unbeaten Roos have been the most dominant side in Central West Rugby Union this season and raging favourites to claim the cup ahead of Saturday's semi-final meeting with Forbes.
While the sheer amount of individual talent in the side is one reason for the huge amount of success, much more of it has to do with the work done on the training paddock.
"Our aim is to train harder than we play," Mason-Spice said.
"That way when we do play we can do it without a problem."
"Without a problem" is probably the best way to describe the Roos' season up to this point.
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Amazingly, the side hasn't conceded a single point since the 36-21 win over the Bathurst Bulldogs in round one while they've scored almost 400 points in that time.
They've reached triple figures twice in their six matches played while they scored an 87-0 win in last weekend's top-of-the-table clash with Orange Emus.
"Everyone is saying we're the best team and whatnot," Mason-Spice said.
"But we just want to keep it under control because at the end of the day rugby is a fair game."
Forbes is the one team to avoid the full force of the Roos up to this point.
An injury-hit Platypi was forced to forfeit its one previous match against the Roos earlier this season and they head into finals having not won in the past four rounds.
They may be an unknown but Mason-Spice has some insight, having played for the Platypi before making the move to the Roos for the 2020 season.
She's been a competition standout again this season, bagging seven tries in one win over Orange City, but is still taking nothing for granted ahead of the semi-final battle.
"It's super exciting because it's my first time against my old club," she said, admitting there's been some banter from former teammates this week.
"There's been a few smart comments (this week) but it is what it is.
"I think rugby is always an unknown and you can never control the other side so we've just got to control what we can."
Mason-Spice, who's previously represented Australia A in sevens, wants her side to control its style of play this weekend.
At times the game plan has gone out the window and the Roos have been able to simply run through opposition defences and score without putting together any of the plays worked on at training.
"We want to play with more structure," she said.
The other thing which has made playing with that structure difficult is the sheer lack of game time this season.
The Westfund Ferguson Cup was only nine rounds long but every club had had two byes and the Roos also received the forfeit from Forbes and had a match at Bathurst abandoned because of snow and poor conditions.
The Roos head into Saturday's semi-final having only played three times since July 25.
"It's been tough for every club, I imagine," Mason-Spice said.
"We've only had four or five games but if we're not playing, we're training.
"If others get a game cancelled they might have a weekend off but we go and train instead. There's no days off."
Both semi-finals will be played at Orange's Wade Park on Saturday.
Emus and Bathurst Bulldogs play at 10am before the Roos and Forbes do battle from 11.10am.
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
