After 1100 minutes of rugby, 14 games each and only one loss a piece, it all comes down to just 80 minutes of play for the Forster-Tuncurry Dolphins and the Wallamba Bulls to determine who heads into the finals with the minor premiership confidence boost and bragging rights.
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The Forster-Tuncurry Dolphins have been the long-time premiers of the competition having repeatedly shown the opposition the way in season’s past and as reigning premiers from the 2016 season their reputation is sure to precede them making them the favourites this weekend.
The Dolphins have seen a lot of changes to players and coaches this season but their on-field performance appears to have been unaffected.
By contrast, the Wallamba Bulls, who were beaten by the Dolphins in the 2016 grand final have everything to prove despite having sat at the top of the competition ladder all season, they currently share the honour with the Dolphins and are still smarting from their only loss of the season when the Dolphins last played the Bulls.
Club president Arthur Chapman and his team of volunteers have worked as hard as the players this season with this being the 10th year the Wallamba Bulls have competed in the competition the self-proclaimed Year of the Bull is an important milestone for the club and the Lower Mid North Coast Rugby competition.
Both teams have had their challenges this season with injuries and players moving out of the region forcing both coaches to be creative with their starting 15 at various points throughout the season.
The Bulls suffered a number of injuries in last weekend’s game against the Myall Coast Mud Crabs forcing Bulls coach Lee Sullivan to delay the naming of his starting line up to give players the opportunity to prove their match fitness at their final training run on Thursday night.
History would suggest that the Dolphins would be the favourites for the game this weekend, however with both teams having demonstrated their dominance this season and the home ground advantage, the Bulls can’t be counted out until the final whistle.
All roads will lead to the Nabiac Bull Pen (Aub Ferris Oval) this weekend for the penultimate chapter of the Lower Mid North Coast Rugby competition before the finals series kicks off the following weekend and the grand final on August 19.
In other games this weekend, the Manning Ratz host the Myall Coast Mudcrabs, third and fourth placed respectively and the Gloucester Cockies host the Old Bar Clams.