After what has been a tough season for the Riverina Rhinos they will be looking to finish on a high note when they play host to Tuggeranong United on Saturday evening at Solar Mad Stadium.
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Injuries early in the season but the Rhinos on the back foot and it was always going to be tough to come back from.
"It isn't the way that we envisioned the season going when we started back in January," Rhinos coach Gabriel Abdala said.
"But when you have five season-ending injuries at the start of the season especially to players who would have been starting for the first-grade side it is going to be difficult."
In a season which has seen the Rhinos four points all season with their only victory coming with a 3-1 win over Belconnen United in round 11.
Those points are now in jeopardy with Capital Football investigating whether or not the Rhinos played a suspended player.
Abdala said the outcome of that decision doesn't change the result in his mind.
"At the end of the day the points aren't going to affect our finishing position," he said.
"We still beat them regardless of what is now happening in the background.
"It is just one of those decision you have to deal with when people don't have their house in order."
The last three rounds have been tough for the Rhinos as after showing positive signs against Cooma, the Rhinos have then fallen to heavy defeats at the hands of Canberra FC (9-0), Gungahlin United (7-1) and Canberra Olympic (5-1).
While result against Olympic on the weekend wasn't flattering for the Rhinos, Abdala took positives out of the game.
"We were able to create a couple of good chances," he said.
"Keith (Jackson) missing an opportunity to make it 1-all and even both that had a chance to give us the lead.
"Despite the result, the boys never dropped their head and showed their determination."
The game against Tuggeranong will be the Rhinos last game in NPL 1 with the side relegated to NPL2 for the 2020 season.
The clash will kick-off at 5pm on Saturday.
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Liam Warren
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
