Southern Inland reporter Courtney Rees casts her eye over what has been and what is in store for the rest of the season.

After an average start to the season, drawing with Ag College, Leeton have pushed their way towards the top of the ladder.

While they haven’t always pleased coach Seru Rogo by phasing out of games, they normally find a way to win.

That is a skill that will put them in good order come finals time.

However, one concern is that they have failed their two biggest tests so far this season.

With a hard run to end the first round with games against Waratahs and Tumut, the Phantoms came crashing back to earth to see them fall slightly off the pace.

They had their chances in both of those clashes, which provides hope, but have been struggling to play out a full 80 minutes.

It hurt them in both occasions and it is a nasty habit the Phantoms will need to get out of if they are going to improve off a preliminary final defeat last season.

Leeton provided the biggest challenge to Waratahs and there is plenty of talent, and the right man in charge, to do it again.

With a new coach in Nathan Honeyman and a new game style it was always going to take a while for Wagga City to click.

But the timing could be right.

After five losses to start the season, three successive wins has them in a finals position at the halfway point of the season.

Confidence is also building that a running game works even if the execution isn’t always quite right.

With the club heading in the right direction hopes are building they can be a premiership threat once more.

However, the Boiled Lollies are yet to prove it they can match it with the best teams for 80 minutes.

They have gone with the top teams in stages of games are yet to sustain the right amount of pressure to cause an upset.

The query is also out over the teams they have beaten in the past three weeks, Griffith, Albury and CSU all sitting below them on the ladder, but that good run home could be the difference come August.

With the large array of experienced, talented players leaving the club this season it always shaped as a redevelopment year.

However, Aggies are right in the mix for the finals as playing better as a team than in previous years.

Wins over Wagga City and Griffith gave the club plenty of confidence, but their efforts coming up against experienced sides like Albury and Waratahs showed there is still plenty of work to be done. 

Ag College got the better of Waratahs in the first half last week but the second stanza will be a good lesson in what it takes to defeat a top team over the full 80 minutes.

While the underdogs tag is something Aggies have relished so far this season, winning the games expected of them is the big challenge and a tricky away clash with Griffith could make or break both team’s chances.

Whatever the result this season, Ag College is setting a strong platform for years to come.

Things continue to slowly build in the hills as new captain-coach Daniel Dowson plots his path towards the thick of the finals race.

Waratahs are the only club to get the better of the Bulls this season and while they were a fair way of their Wagga rivals in a 43-14 loss they will be better for the litmus test experience. 

Traditionally a team packed with strong forwards, a developing back line has helped take things to the next level after bowing out early in last year’s final series.

Tumut don’t possess the same attacking weapons of some of its rivals, but grind their way to victory and reigning Bill Castle Medallist Christino Manuelavo adds plenty of polish.

Three of their wins have been by eight points or less showing there is plenty of room for improvement but Tumut continues to find ways to come out on top.

With an strong home advantage in the second half in the season they will be right on song come finals time.

Life without a host of stars form Albury’s premiership-winning side was always going to be hard, but the extent of the Steamers slump has surprised.

After losing once last year, in a game without its representative players, Albury only has the one win and a draw to start the season.

Things have only gotten harder with the departure of James Olds midway through the season.

The Welshman was the attacking highlight of the club, leading the competition point scorers in the his last two seasons on the border, and had been routinely among the Steamers best before moving north.

There are still plenty of quality players at the club with Arran MacDougall and Tom Boyle in the front row and Richard Manion and Blake Le Cornu in playmaking roles but a new focus is needed.

Despite a poor record, Albury hasn’t been out of the contest in most of its games but faces a tough task to climb up the ladder after already being two wins and percentage adrift from the top five.

It has been a perfect start to the season for Waratahs, with 13 points being their smallest winning margin as they have taken all before them so far.

It is a far cry from the way they started last season, but after adding plenty of quality players to a team that made the grand final it hardly comes as a surprise.

Not even a number of injuries to key men have slowed down the juggernaut this season, with plenty of pressure coming from within for places in the first grade starting line up driving the team forward.

They’ve had moments, particularly against Leeton and in the first half against Ag College in the past fortnight, where things haven’t gone there way.

However, they have the ability to change things that aren’t working quickly and the weapons to hurt teams on the scoreboard .

With a back line stacked with talent and forwards looking to do the hard yards, it shapes as it is a premiership for Waratahs to lose as they look to end a string of finals disappointments.

The statistics don’t read well for CSU with only a draw against fellow strugglers Albury to their name so far this season.

However, the effort has been there for long periods of games and they’ve just failed to finish off.

Only two games, to start the season against Griffith and then three weeks later against Waratahs, has the club failed to be in the game for at least one half.

But an inability to score points at crucial times has proven costly while injuries have also taken its toll.

Only once this year coach Paul Spain has been able to name a consistent team and with the likes of Paul Hood moving on developing new playmaking combinations was always going to be a small process.

CSU has the ability to surprise teams but sustaining the effort throughout the entire game is something they need to focus on.

Are closing in on a win and in the new-look Southern Inland competition are far from the traditional easy beats but it will be a big effort if the Reddies can climb too high up the ladder. 

After a promising start, it has gone very wrong for Griffith so far this season but the sleeping giants may be stirring.

After making a coaching change, with Aled Francis replacing Willie de Meyer after five rounds, the Blacks look to be responding.

They went close to taking down Tumut at home before a big win on the road against Albury.

While the Steamers are not the same premiership force, the Blacks didn’t drop their heads after having their lead erased and that is an attitude they need to continue.

Always a far better side at home, Griffith can call on an array of talented players who all have the potential to be match winners.

Currently four points and percentage off a finals place, the Blacks can’t afford too many slip ups.

The clash at home with Ag College, who smashed an depleted outfit by 96 points last time, could make or break both teams seasons, and the location could be the difference.