The Gunnedah Bulldogs are gearing up to contest the North Tamworth Bears at Jack Woolaston Oval in Group 4 rugby league action on Sunday, following last weekend’s general bye.
Both first grade sides are keen to return to their winning ways after recent defeats, with Gunnedah losing 24-20 to the Boggabri Kangaroos in the most recent round while Norths lost 22-14 to the Moree Boars.
The week before, the Bears had an agonising 25-24 loss to Werris Creek.
Back-to-back losses left the Bears in equal-fourth spot with Boggabri, while Gunnedah’s first loss of the season left the Bulldogs in outright second place after round six.
Bulldogs coach Sean Hayne was critical of his team’s showing against the Kangaroos, who overcame a 20-0 deficit in the second half.
“There hasn’t been a game where we’ve played to our potential,” he said.
Hayne said he “wouldn’t call it complacency” while he also didn’t think it was “an attitude thing”, while it was up to the group as to whether things would improve.
Hayne said the coaching staff and players needed to come together and look at changes and improvements to make, to be competitive.
Meanwhile, Gunnedah’s lower grade teams also contest Norths at Jack Woolaston Oval this Sunday.
Gunnedah’s reserve graders are equal-last alongside two other teams in an eight-team competition, while the Bears are just one win ahead.
Gunnedah’s U18s are also equal-last alongside two other teams, albeit in a six-team competition while the bottom teams are two wins behind the third-placed Norths.
In fifth place out of seven teams after back-to-back wins over the bottom two teams, Gunnedah’s leaguetaggers face an equal-first team yet to taste defeat this year.
Callum Hayne fires away a pass for the Gunnedah Bulldogs.
To order photos from this page click here
