As the Group 20 season approaches the finals stage, there is a tight fight unfolding for the final spot in the top three and second chance come the business end of the season.
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With three rounds, including this weekend, before finals get underway, 2019 premiers Darlington Point Coleambally and West Wyalong are locked in a battle for third, with both sides sitting on 14 points to the next three rounds could prove crucial for both sides.
It's not an easy start for either of the sides, with DPC making the trip to Solar Mad Stadium to take on the second-placed Black and Whites while the Mallee Men will play host to the top of the table Leeton side.
For the Roosters, coach Ben Jeffery knows his side will have a test on their hands.
"We need to win this to stay in the top three, so it is really important for us this week, but they will be ready to go," he said.
"They have been having some good wins, so it will be tough."
It has been a stop-start second half of the season for the Roosters coach, which has left him a bit frustrated.
"We haven't played many games in a row, which is a bit disappointing because we have no consistency there," he said.
"We played two games had a bye play a game, have another bye, play another game and then have a bye. It's pretty rough, to be honest."
We need to win this to stay in the top three ...
- DPC coach Ben Jeffery
"We probably aren't as fit as we'd like to be after had we say played five or six games in a row, but it is what it is, so we just have to make do."
The Roosters had battled injuries in the early stages of the year but will be coming into this weekend off the back of a three-game winning streak, which has occurred in-between two byes, but will still be missing a couple of players for the clash with the Panthers.
Robbie Simpson could be out for the rest of the season as he is currently stuck in Sydney due to the current Greater Sydney lockdown due to a COVID outbreak while Billy Robb is in doubt with an injury to his shoulder.
They lost their premiership captain Josh Veivers in preseason after a workplace accident saw him lucky to keep his foot but have found a worthy replacement in Adam McCann.
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"He's not too bad for the slowest fullback in the comp. We give him a bit of a hard time about it," Jeffery joked.
"He is pretty consistent at the back, and you very rarely get errors out of him."
The Black and Whites have really found their stride this season led by the Lavaka brothers and will head into the game, having not dropped a point since their opening-round loss to Leeton.
The matchup between the Roosters and the Black and Whites went right down to the wire, with Joey Peato crossing in the final minute to give the Panthers the 28-24 victory. The first-grade game will kick off at around 3pm on Sunday.
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