Tumut co-coach Dean Bristow has declared himself a certain starter for the crucial clash with Southcity.
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The Blues need to down the ladder leaders to stay in the fight for finals.
Bristow came off late in the draw with Cootamundra on Sunday with a ribs complaint but has declared himself fit for the big test at Twickenham on Sunday.
“I’m alright,” Bristow said.
“I’d probably have to lose a leg to not play.”
Bristow copped two hits his ribs in the second half, but the 29-year-old revealed the damage wasn’t as serious as he originally feared.
“It’s not as bad as what I first thought,” he said.
“It took my breath away on the weekend, but I’ll get through it.”
Tumut are hoping to go into the clash unchanged with centre Brayden Draber the only other injury concern.
Even if they can become just the third team to down Southcity, and the first in nine games, Tumut also need Young to surprise Junee at Alfred Oval on Sunday.
Conceding a late try against Cootamundra to see the game end a draw has put them in this position of no longer controlling their own destiny.
Bristow said the draw felt as though it was a loss, however he doesn’t believe it changes their approach.
“We still needed to win this week anyway,” he said.
“We needed to beat Southcity to make the finals regardless of the draw.”
Instead he’s looking for more consistency.
Tumut have proven they can match it with the top teams in the competition, with narrow losses to Brothers and Gundagai plus the draw with Cootamundra in their past five games, but are yet to come up with a win.
“It is the first time we’ve played them this year so it is a good test for us,” Bristow said.
“If we are going to make the finals and do anything we need to beat sides like this.
“It is obviously stacked up against us a little bit in terms of making finals, but all we can do is go out there and try and beat Southcity.”
Bulls captain-coach Kyle McCarthy has been particularly dangerous from dummy half in recent weeks.
Controlling the ruck is one thing Bristow wants to focus on.
“They are not on top for no reason and like to generate quick line speed and play off the back of that,” he said.
“They’ve got strike all over the paddock and if we start giving them opportunities, coughing up ball and allow them to dominant the ruck then we will probably be in for a long day.
“They are just the little things they do well, better than any other team, so we’ve identified that and have to try and stop them doing what they do best.”
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