WINGHAM Tigers look safely ensconced in the Group Three Rugby League top three going into the second round of the season this Sunday.
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Now coach Mick Sullivan is aiming for the top two.
The Tigers are in third place and on Sunday meet Forster-Tuncurry at the Wingham Sporting Complex. Wingham sit on 10 points, two shy of equal leaders Wauchope and Macleay Valley.
Sullivan said ensuring a place in the top five was his first goal for the season.
"I think we've ticked that box now,'' he said.
He hopes Sunday will be the springboard for a successful run into the playoffs, and hopefully a top two berth.
After dropping the first two games of the season the Tigers have won five on end, but the Hawks were one of only two sides to beat Wingham in the first round in the clash at Tuncurry. That was a fumbling, mistake riddled game to start the season when the Hawks scored the winning try just before fulltime.
"They've been going alright. Apparently they struggled a bit last year, but they have a strong pack of forwards,'' Sullivan said of the Hawks.
"And they've won away from home - they had a good win against Port Macquarie at Port a couple of weeks ago, so I'm expecting a tough game.''
Sullivan will make one forced change to the side that thrashed Port Macquarie 44-6 last weekend. Second rower Tim Watson has work commitments. This will allow prop Blake Fraser to resume his place in the run-on side, with Nick Beacham dropping back to second row. Fraser has fully recovered from a calf injury and he was given a bit of game time off the bench in the match against the Sharks.
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Sullivan assured work won't be a worry for Watson when the big games roll around later in the season, saying he has his roster has been sorted. A former Country representative, Watson has already developed a combination with Sullivan that has been fruitful for the Tigers.
While Wingham's attack has been on-song in the last month, Sullivan has been particularly pleased with the defence. The Tigers have only had 93 points scored against them in seven games and have comfortably the best defensive record in the competition.
"We're only conceding 10 to 14 points a game and that's pretty good,'' he said.
There'll also be interest in the reserve grade game, where the unbeaten Tigers tackle the second placed Hawks.
An injury-hit Port Macquarie Sharks will be hoping to be closer to full strength for the match against town-rivals Port City at the Port Macquarie Regional Stadium tomorrow. Successive wins have resulted in the Breakers joining the Sharks on six points on the ladder.
