Southern Inland Rugby Union
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INJURIES have struck Waratahs at the worst possible time, but going into the preliminary final confidence remains high within the club.
The Wagga outfit will travel to Albury on Saturday in another rematch of last year's grand final.
In the biggest game of the season last year Albury got the edge over the Waratahs, but halfback Euan Bonner doesn't believe lightning will strike twice.
"It will always been hard playing Albury at Murrayfield, but if we play our game right we should see Griffith again the week after that," Bonner said.
"I'm pretty confident that we should be all right."
Blaming the bounce of the ball rather than errors by the Waratahs themselves, Bonner doesn't believe too much has to change for the 'Tahs to return to winning ways.
Leading for most of the season, Bonner expects to play in his second grand final.
"(Griffith) got a couple of breakaway tries from a couple of really good individuals and I suppose we didn't play our best," he said.
"Hopefully things go our best on Saturday and we can get one over them again."
Part of the Waratahs' Scottish trio, halfback Bonner is the only one left standing.
Bonner linked with the club last year alongside Chris Murray following the trail Jake Eaglesham blazed months earlier.
However, Eaglesham has been ruled out with a meniscus and a medial ligament tear in his knee, as well as damage to an ankle suffered in club celebrations gone wrong.
Eaglesham hasn't played since celebrating the win over Ag College two weeks ago a little too hard, while Murray hasn't played since the Southern Inland representative game with a neck issue.
Although there may be jokes about wrapping the playmaker in cotton wool to ensure he doesn't fall victim to the Scottish curse, the 22-year-old doesn't think he has too much to worry about.
"They are good players and it's a shame we have lost both of them, but I'm sure we will be right for this week," he said.
Originally coming to Australia for a holiday to coincide with the British and Irish Lions tour, Bonner decided to make a more permanent thing.
"I love it here as we originally came here for a bit of work then Jake got us involved in the Waratahs and I've been here ever since," he said.
"I love the rugby, its a good bunch of boys and I've met some really good friends."
The Edinburgh native is looking to stay in Wagga for the start of the next season.