Newtown has spent virtually the entire RSL-Whitney Cup season up to this point outside of the top three but captain Mat Skinner has no doubt his side can still have a major impact on the competition.
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A return to Twenty20 cricket on Friday night could be key but the biggest thing for the captain is more consistency in team lineups and performance.
Newtown, so often short-form specialists in recent years, will play its first McDonald's Megahit match of the season on Friday night and it will be a bumper clash against the unbeaten RSL-Colts.
With Megahit points counting towards the RSL-Whitney Cup first grade competition this season, the match offers the Tigers a chance to make further ground on the top three before Saturday's meeting with the last-placed South Dubbo.
Skinner's side currently sits fourth, six points off the third-placed Macquarie.
"We're just sitting out of the top three so if we could get a win Friday and Saturday that should really put us up right in the hunt in the top three before the Christmas break," Skinner said.
"That's our goal, top three, so that could hopefully get us there is we get a good couple of wins."
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While he has total faith in his side, Skinner is aware some improvement is needed.
The Tigers won just once in the opening six rounds and while recent wins over Rugby and CYMS have started moving the side in the right direction the captain is keen on further development.
"Our team has been a bit disappointing so far," he admitted.
"We've been very hot and cold and haven't played anywhere near our best cricket.
"We've had injuries and blokes up and down and not been playing good cricket but to be still sitting just outside the top three is a positive because if we can start playing our better cricket I think we are going to be strong contenders to finish in that top three or top two."
Putting the same 11 or 12 on the field each week will go a long way to helping the Tigers rise - the captain is one of a number of players who has missed multiple games this season following a broken thumb early in the season - but consistency with bat and ball is also vital.
When the Tigers have been good they've been able to match the top sides, as proved in their win over CYMS, but there's also been a number of batting collapses and periods of loose bowling which have allowed the opposition to thrive.
"We need to try and have a minimal gap between our best game and our worst game," Skinner said.
"We're finding a little bit of form at the moment so hopefully we can run with that and gather a bit more momentum.
"The Colts game should be a real test for us. If we can get up to near our best cricket I reckon we've got enough to beat them.
"We've got the few good batsmen and good bowlers who can contain them and a good fielding unit so it's just about putting it together now."
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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.
