The Parkes Spacemen will get a better understanding of where they stand in the 2014 Tooheys Group XI rugby league competition when they host leaders Dubbo Cyms at Pioneer Oval this Sunday.
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The Spacemen have had an inconsistent season so far but have run into some decent form over the last few rounds.
They currently sit in fourth place on the ladder with 16 points, seven behind the competition leaders.
The Spacemen are awaiting the outcome of an appeal against the deduction of two competition points for playing an unregistered player earlier in the season.
If the appeal is upheld at the next Group XI meeting, the Spacemen will move to within five points of Cyms.
After a strong start to the season, the defending premiers’ form slipped and they endured a tough period, putting their top three aspirations in jeopardy.
Recent performances suggest the Spacemen have their season back on track, coinciding with the return of experienced campaigners, captain-coach Pat Rosser and mercurial half Dennis Moran.
Moran will miss this week after the niggling injury that has kept him out flared up again.
Rosser is available and believes his side’s turnaround has more to do with attitude than his return.
“We went through a patch where we were terrible,” Rosser said.
“We weren’t willing to work hard and build pressure by grinding away.
“That comes back to attitude and desire and was reflected in the results.
“In recent weeks we have played patches of quality football but not for prolonged periods.
“We still have work to do and Sunday’s match will be a good barometer of where we are at.”
Cyms are the benchmark team again this season and are coming off another strong win.
“They will be very confident so our focus is purely on aiming up individually and getting in the contest,” Rosser said.
Sunday’s match will be the second replay of last season’s grand final with Cyms taking the honours 50-36 in Round 5.
The two clubs have a history of some epic contests with Sunday’s match on Pioneer Oval at 2.30pm likely to be another.
Team List for Cyms:
1. Sam Dwyer, 2. Brandon Paige, 3. Hayden Robinson, 4. Cameron Standen, 5. Aparosa Ada, 6. Alex Prout, 7. Jake Dooley, 8. Dave Masoe, 9. Tino Ionatana, 10. Pat Rosser (c), 11. Jordan Pope, 12. Todd Barrow, 13. Epi Sadrodro, 14. Matty Clarke, 15. Evi Nioko, 16. Bobby Hunt, 17. Adam Richards, 18. Steve Dunn.
