Dubbo Bulls FC are not taking anything for granted as the prepare for their top-of-the-table Western Premier League clash with Orange Waratahs on Saturday night.
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The ladder leader Waratahs are yet to lose a game this season and sit just a single point ahead of Dubbo FC heading into the round nine match at Hans Claven Oval, one which could likely be the game of the season.
A win for the Dubbo side will see them leapfrog Waratahs into first position and could play a big factor in the second half of the season.
Dubbo FC captain-coach James Leonard knows how strong the Orange side will be.
"They look to be a similar line-up to what they were in the Premier League days seven or eight years ago so they are a well-drilled side," he said.
"They haven't been losing much, probably expecting a very similar team to the old days."
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For Waratahs, this will interestingly be their first trip to Dubbo after having just one away game through their first seven matches of the season.
That one away game was at Bathurst but Leonard doesn't expect the travel won't be a factor.
"I don't think so, I think most teams travel pretty well. It's a competition where you have to travel well otherwise you are not going to go too far," he said.
Waratahs coach Adam Scimone said after his side's win over Macquarie United earlier this season he felt Bulls were the benchmark but Leonard is not reading into the praise too much
"We do take it a week at a time but as I've said before it was between them and Westside who were the top teams back in the day so they are always very good competition," he said.
"At any given game any team can beat each other in this competition so we don't take anything for granted."
After only dropping the one match so far this season Leonard knows his side can improve, which looks a scary sign for opposition teams.
"We haven't played the best football but we've continued to win after the round one loss so it's also positive signs and we can only get better." he said.
Leonard's side has been relatively unchanged for much of the season with the core midfield firing on all cylinders but it's another Bulls player who the coach thinks could be in for a big game.
"Nelson Flick is under a bit of an injury cloud at the moment but if he is fit I'm looking for him to have a big game against a team he used to love playing against," he said.
"Scott Fox is still a couple of weeks away again after a calf strain."
Bulls have unearthed a star it seems in youngster Kane Settree who has partnered with Tom Busch and Kobe Rapley in midfield and the trio will again be key on Saturday.
Kick-off is 6.30pm.
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