Five-eighth Ricky Campbell (ankle) and winger Matt Hardcastle (shoulder) are both out and are probably finished for the season. Second rower and coach Danial Stone and hooker Lachie Leeming are both battling to be fit. Fullback Clint Walker has work commitments so won't take his place, adding to the woes.

"It's not a good time to happen,'' Stone said.

The Ratz went down to Forster-Tuncurry 39-28 last weekend in the major semi while the Cockies - striving to make the club's first grand final in the Lower North Coast competition - were way too good for Wallamba in the minor semi.

Stone is considering his options for the backline replacements. Talented Izaak Solomon will be the No 10 while Stone will be forced to reshuffle a few positions, with Sam Hartnett likely to move from No 8 to the centres. Stone admits he isn't sure who will wear Walker's 15 jumper or who will kick the goals.

"I might have a kick off at training and see who is the most successful,'' he said.

Stone said containing Gloucester's forwards will be his side's main priority, believing that even minus Campbell and Hardcastle his backs still hold an edge.

"But they have a solid pack. They have a lot of experience there and they just keep driving forward,'' Stone said.

"We'll just have to counter that.''

Stone assures there's still plenty of spirit in the side.

"We're not done and dusted yet by a long way,'' he said.

"Gloucester's always strong at home but they don't always travel that well.

"We've beaten them here in the final for the past two years and we can do it again.''

THERE is a quiet optimism in Gloucester's bid for their first premiership in the Lower Mid North Coast rugby union competition before tomorrow's sudden-death preliminary final against the Manning River Ratz at Taree Rugby Park.

After 10 victories and three narrow losses this winter the Cockies' confidence is justified, and it is surging in the ranges.

When Gloucester last encountered Manning River on home turf at Gloucester Park late in June, they overwhelmed the Ratz, 42-10, inflicting the worst defeat of the season on the Taree team.

In the brief, eight-season history of the Lower MNC competition since the zone was divided for the start of the 2008 season, the Gloucester Cockies - derived from "Cow Cockies" - have never reached a grand final.

But between skipper Chris Marchant, his equally damaging back row colleague, Jamie "Emu" Andrews, coach Steve Parkin and club president, Stuart Paynter, they have developed a spirit within the club unprecedented in a decade.

Not a lot can be derived from the Cockies' 43-0 elimination of the Wallamba Bulls in last weekend's minor semi-final.

The Bulls came fifth in the competition and what with players injured and some away, season finished, it came as a shock to learn that they had been promoted to the playoffs due to the Myall Coast Mudcrabs' inability to field five experienced front rowers.

What the game did reveal was that the Cockies are no longer solely dependent on a pack of old hard-heads in the forwards, led by 52-year-old prop Don Hamilton. Rest assured, this season's pack is not purely a collection of ancient fuddy-duddies.

They scrummed Wallamba off the field at Tuncurry.

Between hooker Luke Tresidder and his props, Hamilton and Mick Wooster, they demolished Wallamba's scrum.

In Hamilton's son, lock Ethan Hamilton, 18 and Lukas Dellsperger they have two most competent lineout forwards as well as a battle-hardened trooper in ex-Queensland representative forward, Andrew Coombe, provided his bad knee has recovered. Former MNC representative halfback, Andy Paynter, has an English "import" at five-eighth in Tony Nicholson, an outstanding acquisition.

Nicholson has enjoyed his first winter in the area so much it is hoped he will return to Gloucester next season.

It was Nicholson's tackle which dropped fullback Chris Tout in his tracks and put an end to the Bulls' best attacking player with a knee injury early in the minor semi-final.

Likewise, in Ben Lowis, the club has a player who trialled as a front rower and has now trimmed down into a very competent centre.

Gloucester High School has proved the source of some exciting young backs, among them fullback Ryan Yates and Kenneth Wamsley, the latter resuming rugby after being struck down by a serious virus.

The Ratz made the scoreline appear presentable when beaten by the Forster Tuncurry Dolphin in the major semi-final, 38-29, scoring two tries in the last 10 minutes. They are a tenacious lot, and always hard to beat.

It will be a tough, drag-'em-out preliminary final, but from what they have displayed this season, I'm tipping a Gloucester Cockies win and qualification for the grand final at Tuncurry tomorrow week.