OLD Bar under 18.5s have survived the toughest run to the grand final of any side involved in Sunday's Group Three Rugby League program.
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The Pirates will meet minor premiers Macleay Valley in the decider. Old Bar won the preliminary semi against Port City at Wingham 16-14 before losing the major semi to Macleay at Kempsey by the same margin.
Last Sunday they came from behind to account for Port Macquarie 21-15, with the match defining try coming in the last moments of the game.
Co-coach Darrin Dark isn't sure this ardous string of games is a negative or a positive.
"You have to remember there are a few young kids there and this would be the toughest run of football they've had, so it's a bit of an unknown,'' he said.
On the other hand Macleay's played little football, having the bye the last round followed by a free week for finishing minor premiers.
The Mustangs beat the Pirates in the major semi so had last weekend off as well.
The Pirates are injury-free. Dark said they'll be led by consistent front rowers Kane Evans and Sam Wilkes, who have both been strong in the finals series.
"We always put in the effort,'' Dark said.
"But we do need to improve our kicking game and also our catching game from their kicks.
"Macleay has a good kicking game and that's one area where we'll have to be careful.''
The Pirates have been slow starters in all of their three matches in the finals and have been forced to fight their way back after leaking early points.
"We've spoken about that and certainly that's something we need to work on,'' Dark said.
"We also need to make sure we only allow them one set at a time. If we keep giving them repeat sets then we could find ourselves in trouble.''
The Pirates were runners up to Port Macquarie in last year's grand final. Dark said there's about half a dozen players backing up from 2018.
"That's a personal motivation - not wanting to go through the pain of losing a grand final,'' he said.
"But I don't think it motivates a team.''
Old Bar's two loses to Macleay this year were both at Kempsey, so Dark said the Pirates are looking forward to the neutral venue.
"We like Wauchope and we're looking forward to going there,'' he said.
