Wagga RSL keen to turnaround form, starting with clash against Wagga City

The Bulldogs have been disappointing since the Christmas break, losing both games on the back of an uninspiring Twenty20 campaign.

Despite that, Wagga RSL sit in third spot and a win over the second-placed Wagga City on Saturday would put them just a game outside the top two with two rounds remaining.

Wagga RSL captain-coach Sam Perry said they haven't not given up hope on the double chance.

"We still think that's definitely a chance," Perry said.

"We were very down in the dumps after last week's performance but at the end of the day, we're still sitting in third. If we can manage to roll Cats this week then we're a game behind them, I think they've still got to play South Wagga in the run home and we've got two sides that are below us.

"This week it's imperative that we win, if we win this week, it cements finals but it also puts some pressure on the sides above us and shows that we're not just there to fill the numbers."

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Turning around their recent form is the number one focus. Perry stressed the Bulldogs need to start games better.

"The last probably month of cricket, including the T20s, has been quite disappointing," he said.

"We went into Christmas quite comfortable in a sense and we've come back out of Christmas, availability hasn't really been there, in terms of first grade cricketers we've been a bit short, but that's no excuse.

"The last two weeks what has let us down is we haven't got wickets with the ball early, so we've been on the back foot with the ball and conversely with that bat, we've been 3-3, 3-20, you can't win games of cricket there.

"We seem to be putting the second session together, and the third session, scoring runs at the back end, scoring runs in the middle, getting wickets through the middle, getting wickets at the end but probably the most important part of the game is the first 17 overs and we just can't put it together."

Savi Don will come in and make his first grade debut on Saturday. Ethan Perry also returns, along with young quick Blake Byrnes. They replace the unavailable Ben Willis, Jacob Manley and Alex Manley.

The game is a day-nighter at Robertson Oval, set for a 2.30pm start.

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