OLD Bar co-captain-coach Mick Henry celebrated his 30th birthday by scoring a try in Old Bar's 52-18 demolition of Wauchope in the Group Three Rugby League game at Old Bar.
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The Pirates are now outright third and are still a chance of finishing second, but will need to defeat second placed Forster-Tuncurry at Tuncurry on Sunday to have any chance. Old Bar comfortably beat the Hawks at Old Bar on a heavy field at the Trad Fields at Old Bar in the first round.
However, they are now without prop Jared Wooster (foot), winger Joe Hinton (knee), co-captain-coach and halfback Jordan Worboys (shoulder) and utility player Toby De Stefano (cheekbone). All were injured in the game against Macleay Valley on July 30 or the catchup clash against Wingham on August 2, both at Old Bar Reserve.
Henry isn't expecting any of them back before the semi-finals, if at all.
The Pirates face Forster (away), Port Sharks (home), Port City (away) in a deferred encounter on August 23 before finishing the season-proper against Taree City. They'll make the four but will probably need to win two games to clinch third and all of them to get to second.
Henry said he was 'pretty happy' with the effort over Wauchope, the side's third match in eight days.
"We had a few lapses and need to nullify them when we come up against the top teams,'' Henry said,
"But if we get rid of those lapses and play for a strong 80, I'll be pretty happy.''
When speaking to the Times Henry was under the impression that the Hawks had gone down to Macleay, however, this proved incorrect, with Forster winning on the last play of the game.
"But next week against Forster is a massive game. Hopefully we got through today unscathed and we can put the same side on the park next Sunday,'' he said.
"Hopefully we'll be able to take the same side as today into our next game. And if we get any of those (injured) blokes back, well, that'll be a big bonus at the end of the year.''
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