“They’re in the fight to the end, it’s only a missed goal here or there that has cost them, so they’re not far away from a win,” coach Bridge said of the Old Bar side.

“We’ll have to be on our game.”

The Bulls are coming off a heavy 40-12 loss to Port Macquarie, in the round played before last weekend’s Group Two and Group Three representative clash.

According to Bridge both defence and attack needs to improve.

“Our one on one tackles were very poor that day,” he said. 

Bridge will also look to his halves to spark more of the team’s attack. 

Nathan Maher will play five-eighth but Bridge hasn’t decided on a halfback to partner him.

He’ll make a call on that after Thursday’s training. 

“We’ll be looking to them to direct our outside backs and get them more involved,” Bridge said of his halves. 

The Bulls will be aided by the return of their representative players Matt Everitt, Aden Avery and Josh Northam.

Avery, a fullback or centre, is the only injury concern for the Bulls. 

Bridge said despite the last round loss, he was pleased with his team’s progress so far.

The two games they’ve lost so far have been against Wingham and the Port Sharks, both sides that have enjoyed a strong start to the season. 

“We’ve been beaten by two sides that’ll be up there by the end of the year,” he explained.

However, Bridge emphasised the need for the Bulls to develop consistency in their displays. 

“You can’t take any side lightly in this competition, because if you do you’ll end up getting your backside smacked.”

THE Old Bar Pirates will have a chance to avenge a two-point loss to the Taree City Bulls when the two teams play at Jack Neal Oval on Saturday.

The 10-8 defeat to Taree earlier this season was one of three two-point losses that Old Bar have sustained this year.

However coach Col Lucas is confident that his side is close to a break-through win.

"We're just about there, I'm pretty sure we'll turn the corner soon," he said.

Coach Lucas compared his side to a boxer competing for the first 11 rounds, but not the twelfth.

Despite the close losses, Lucas said the atmosphere at the club remained upbeat.

"It's not attitude, the feeling around the club is good," he said.

Lucas said he would look to experienced players Danny Russell, Rumone Jackson, and Jake and Corey Wheeler to lead the way this weekend.

Jackson was the club's sole player involved in the representative match between Group Two and Group Three and he'll back up for the club.

Lucas said the Taree outfit was "solid across the park", with the local derby always an eagerly-contested match.

"It always is against Taree, we want to beat them and they want to beat us."

Lucas will stick with largely the same squad that he has used so far this year.

"The boys are all fit and they deserve a chance to play."

lachlan.leeming@fairfaxmedia.com.au