IN an ideal world Port Macquarie Sharks coach Wayne Grant would prefer to see his side a bit higher on the table.
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After five rounds of the competition the Sharks are in a four-way battle for fourth position on nine points.
They have a chance to climb the ladder on Sunday when they clash with Taree City Bulls.
The Bulls accounted for Wauchope 38-8 last week while the Sharks were disappointing in a 44-8 loss to Port City.
Grant welcomes back Mitch Wilbow and Joel Antilla while Ben Kirkland is awaiting a medical clearance although the coach was confident he would also return.
After registering two wins from their five starts, the coach remained confident the Sharks had still made progress.
“We knew this season was never going to be an easy one, but it’s not something I want to dwell on,” he said.
“Our personnel is a lot different this season to last season and you go through this type of thing as a club from time to time.”
Blockbusting centre Charley Faatoia-Collins has impressed Grant with his first five games for the club.
“We need to feed Charley more of the ball; he didn’t see enough of it last week,” he said.
“He’s been coached well, he knows what he’s doing and he can motor.”
Grant was confident Corey Murphy will recover from a knock to his cheekbone in time for Sunday’s match.
“He’s had scans and it’s come back all good,” he said.
The return of more players from injury over the next couple of weeks has Grant looking forward to the rest of the season.
“We’re going alright, but it is pretty frustrating. I can see light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
“Everyone’s trying and that’s all I can ask.”
First grade kicks off at 3.15pm at Regional Stadium on Sunday.