“We're up against the biggest and strongest pack in the comp,’’ Maurirere pointed out.

“So this will be a tough game and we know how Gloucester's going to play it. The last time we played them we only got away after a couple of late penalty goals.

“And the Cockies are still trying to haul in Myall Coast and finish fourth, so they’ll be desperate.’’

Speculation continues that top Gloucester forward Chris Marchant is on the comeback trail to further bolster the pack. It is unknown if he’ll be in the side at Taree tomorrow.

The Ratz are in third place and have an eight point cushion over Myall Coast. Manning will also be bolstered tomorrow by the return of top forwards Dave Rees, Brendan Fuller and Brodie Howard. All missed last week’s 31-0 loss to Forster-Tuncurry at Tuncurry.

The Ratz will have Izaak Solomon and Jack Chapman back after they were also absentees against the Dolphins. They’ll add strike to their outside backs.

 Maurirere is confident the Ratz are getting some firepower in their backline.

‘Our halves, Chris Fitzsimmons and Josh Ross are starting to play good rugby and they're giving the outside back plenty of opportunities,’’ he said.

THE scoreline read 31-0 against, however, Manning Ratz coach Jake Maurirere believes his side showed enough against Forster-Tuncurry last weekend to suggest they’re right in the Lower North Coast Rugby Union premiership race.

The Ratz suffered a host of late drop outs, losing prop Brendan Fuller and back rowers Brodie Howard and Dave Rees – the team captain – on the morning of the game.

Manning were also without backs Jack Chapman and Izaak Solomon.

“We were only just able to scrape together 15 players for the game,’’ Maurirere said.

“So to hold the Dolphins to five tries was a great effort – I think most people would have expected a massive score.’’

Maurirere called on his players in last Friday's Times to make a statement in the game to show the LNC premiership isn’t a race between co-leaders Wallamba and Forster-Tuncurry. He’s confident his understrength side did just that.

“I think we showed there’ll be plenty of football in us when the semi-finals get here,’’ he said.

By Phil Wilkins

The inability of the Wauchope Rugby Union Club to make headway in the Upper Mid North Coast competition may result in the Thunder returning to play in the Lower MNC competition next year.

The formation of the club saw the Thunder play with modest success and strong playing numbers for a season in the Lower North premiership before deciding to switch to the stronger competition in the north.

The move was ambitious but well-intentioned, to provide rugby for two teams, but this season the Thunder have performed poorly in both grades, their reserve grade side forfeiting on two occasions and their first grade team losing all eight games, in the process scoring 59 points and conceding 362.

No decision has yet been finalised, but Wauchope would certainly be made welcome in the southern competition again, strengthening the ranks with its six clubs, ranging from the Manning River Ratz in the north, Gloucester in the west and Myall Coast at Tea Gardens in the south.

The Lower MNC premiership will continue in the 12th round on Saturday with the Ratz hosting the Gloucester Cockies at Taree Rugby Park.

The expectation is Chris Marchant will return to the Cockies’ forward pack in these last weeks, giving the club his enormous experience and added motivation for the tough struggles ahead.

Old Bar have endured hard times, but new coach Tim Tout is instilling direction and respect in the region’s once leading club and seems gradually to be turning the tide. The Clams will certainly need all their defensive skills against the competition leaders, the Wallamba Bulls.

Level on 50 points with the Bulls but trailing marginally on points for and against, the Forster Tuncurry Dolphins travel to Tea Gardens to play the fourth-placed Myall Coast Mudcrabs.

The Dolphins’ premiership-winning halfback, Liam Brady, is still recovering from seriously gashed hands, injuries which have kept him out of rugby for four rounds and which will prevent him playing for another two games.

In Brady’s absence, Kurt Forester and then Tom Harris have acted most competently at halfback to five-eighth Matt Nuku without offering the swiftness of Brady’s passing game.

Impressive, young hooker Jeremy Innes is making a pleasing return from a hamstring injury while two newcomers, wingers Jackson Smith and Johnnie Bell, are making good progress, a necessity with prodigious try-scoring winger Jack Nicholson and MNC representative utility back, Buka Naqito, lost indefinitely.