Charles Sturt University insist they’re not out of the race for a finals berth this season but admit it’s a daunting task to get back on track.
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After a bye last week, the Bushpigs’ second half of the year kicks off at home to Temora on Saturday.
And they take on the competition’s hottest team right now in what’s traditionally their toughest stretch of the season – the mid-year university break – and still without their best player.
“It’s not great, with school holidays still on we’ve got a few out, and Rob Herzfeld’s (ankle) still not right,” CSU coach Daniel Athanitis said.
“And they (Temora) are travelling along really well. It sounds like their mid-season recruit from Canberra (Stephen Camp) has helped them a lot which adds to their depth in the midfield.
“So it’s a big challenge. It’ll be a good game and will tell us where we’re at.”
Three straight wins early in the year promised plenty but the Bushpigs are now desperate to end a losing run that has stretched to four games, beginning with a 145-point loss to Marrar in round six and continuing with a 95-point loss to North Wagga a fortnight ago.
“Not getting 13 goals kicked against us in a quarter is the first thing,” Athanitis said, referring to a horror second term against the Saints.
“Apart from that, we were pretty even with them.
“I've watched the video and they had 27 inside 50s, 8 marks inside 50 and 12 centre clearances in a quarter. I don’t know what happened there.”
It was enough to see Athanitis completely flip his side at half-time.
“I think they got a shock when I did it,” he said.
“It was a bit old school I guess, but we had to do something.”
He says his young charges have managed to move on and he is urging them to rediscover the competitiveness that was putting them right in games earlier in the year.
“The season’s not done, it can turn around pretty quick,” Athanitis said.
“We’ve just got to beat the teams around us and then see where we’re at.”
After last week’s bye, CSU are on 20 competition points, level with East Wagga-Kooringal (fifth) and the Northern Jets (sixth), but well down on percentage.
CSU lost key player Harrison Foott after two games and their worries worsened in their last win – against the Jets in round five, when new key forward Vas Seker sidelined with facial fractures.
“Losing Vas (Seker) didn’t help, that big centre-half-forward presence,” Athanitis said.
“That’s where we’re breaking down, across half-forward. But we’ll keep punching away and trying new things.
“The boys are upbeat and enjoying their footy so we’ll see how we go.”
