"We’ll have 29 players available for selection and we’ll have our two strongest sides on the field,’’ coach Rod Bartley said as the Wildcats prepare to play Tuncurry-Forster tomorrow at Omaru Park.

“So there’ll be no excuses.’’

This will also be the start of the second round and Bartley concedes Taree will need to show more consistency in the run-in to the playoffs if they are going to play semi-final football.

“But to be consistent you need to have your best players available and that hasn’t happened for us this year,’’ he added.

The Wildcats will have the luxury of six home games in the second half and Bartley believes this will be a perfect platform to make a bid for the top five.

Taree won a closely contested first round game 2-1 against the Tigers in what Bartley described as an ‘ugly performance.’ 

“They’ll be primed for a big performance and they’re coming off a strong  win last week over Wauchope. This is going to be a tough contest for sure,’’ he said.

Taree only won back-to-back games once in the first round and that was against cellar dwellers Wauchope and Camden Haven. Bartley concedes the Wildcats will have to improve this strike rate in the second round if they are going to challenge for higher honours.