Blues’ last roll of the dice

Coleambally head into the final round in sixth position but can snare fifth spot if results go their way on Saturday.

The Blues need to beat Temora at Coleambally, and hope North Wagga can beat Marrar at Langtry Oval.

Barring a mammoth win from Northern Jets, that will be enough for Coleambally to grab fifth and a finals berth.

Carroll admits there will be plenty of communication happening between the townships of Coleambally and Marrar on Saturday, should the Blues hit the front.

“I’m sure if it’s a close ball game, blokes will be flat out on the phone and whatever else,” Carroll said.

“We’ve just got to concentrate on our job and when the time comes, the other result is what it is.”

Coleambally have hit form over the past couple of weeks, starting with a surprise win over The Rock-Yerong Creek.

They then had to work hard, and were far from their best, in the 28-point victory over Barellan last Saturday.

Carroll knows the Blues will have to be at their best to beat Temora.

“We’ll have to play our best game of the year,” he said.

“We want to win the clearances, they smashed us in the clearances last time.

“If we win the clearances then their forwards aren’t getting it as much either, so cutting them down through the middle will be our main priority.”

Coleambally will be boosted by the return of Gerald Clear Medallist Dean Pound for the important game.

Pound missed last week’s win over Barellan and has been battling hamstring problems throughout the year.

Carroll knows his team is capable if the cards happen to fall their way.

“We can only do what we can control, we’ll see what happens after that,” he said.

“We go into every game confident but knowing we have to play our best footy.”

Round 18 draw

Marrar v North Wagga at Langtry Oval

Coleambally v Temora at Coleambally

Northern Jets v Barellan at Ariah Park

CSU v East Wagga-Kooringal at Peter Hastie Oval