ALBURY has the finals edge, but Waratahs will come into the preliminary final at Murrayfield as favourites according to Albury coach Mick Raynes.
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In another rematch of last year's grand final, Raynes was quick to place Waratahs as not only the favourites for tomorrow's clash, but to take out the title.
The Wagga outfit have lost its last two finals - last year's grand final to the Steamers and to Griffith last weekend - but the first-year coach doesn't believe his team's dominant win over CSU and playing at home is enough to earn the favourites tag.
"We still believe they are the competition favourites, they are the strongest team across the paddock," Raynes said.
"Despite their talk of injuries and what not they are still a very strong team, very well disciplined and we are going to need a 80-minute effort to match them."
The Waratahs have only been out of top spot for two rounds this season, but the Steamers have the chance to make their third consecutive grand final.
With a highly-structured game style, a solid preparation is one of key factors for the Steamers and with an unchanged line-up confidence is high within the club.
"The boys have trained well and are all set to go," Raynes said.
"There is a good feeling there and we are coming into the end of the season in a good frame of mind.
"The last few weeks every game has been a grand final so this one is no different."
When the two teams last met six weeks ago, Waratahs came away from Murrayfield as 40-15 victors.
Raynes said that game hasn't been discussed in the lead-up to tomorrow, but was a reason why he didn't think playing at home would be too much of an advantage.
"We haven't really talked about that game so much but have talked about what has been working for us lately and we know they will come at out wide," he said.
"(The home ground) hasn't been an advantage for us or the Waratahs this year - we beat then up there and they touched us up down here in the second half of the season."
"They just lost at home so I think the home ground advantage doesn't really matter."