THE Cootamundra Bulldogs face a fight to maintain their top three standing on the Group Nine ladder with the side taking on Gundagai at Fisher Park tomorrow.
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It was the Tigers who handed the Bulldogs their first defeat of the 2014 season when the two sides last met back in May and they currently sit one position below the Bulldogs in fourth spot on the table.
They have also recently been bolstered by the return of captain/coach James Smart who was instrumental in their 32 point drubbing of Brothers last weekend.
Bulldogs co coach Mark Elia said his team will have to be wary of the influence Smart can have in the Tigers attack.
“It is important that we don’t slide too early in defence and are able to halt their momentum,” he said.
“Smart is coming back from an injury but they have other good attacking players so we are expecting a higher scoring game than last time.”
While they created plenty of chances in their last encounter with the Tigers, the Bulldogs only managed to score one try and were missing Sirla Pera and Sione Tongia for the clash.
They will again be without Tongia for tomorrow’s match but have Pera starting on the wing.
Elia said consistency will be the key for his side in tomorrow’s game.
“They (Gundagai) are good at controlling the ball which is something we haven’t been doing that well lately,” he said.
“We just need to put together a good, solid half of football. We haven’t really done that since we played the Kangaroos so we are definitely due.”
