THE Port City Breakers and the Port Macquarie Sharks will both host Group 3 matches this weekend at the Port Macquarie Regional Stadium.
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Dan Kemp’s Breakers will face the Wauchope Blues on Saturday with kick off set for 3.15pm, while the Wayne Grant coached Sharks will square off with Old Bar on Sunday also at 3.15.
Grant sat out last weeks match with illness and was unable to see his side notch up a win. He is back this week, with a similar side that beat Forster-Tuncurry in their last start.
“We’ve been having some poor second halves but everyone’s still positive and we’re still going forward,” Grant said.
“The next few matches are critical for us. We want to achieve a higher position than we’re sitting now by stringing a few wins together.
“Old Bar have strengthened up since our narrow win the last time we played, so it’ll be a good match.”
For the Breakers, their coach is happy to see a few fellas back from injury, including Kurt Durbridge and Russell Lardner.
The Breakers crushed the Wingham Tigers 48-24 in their last clash, and hope to carry that form into their match with the Blues on Saturday.
“We’re starting to get a few players back from injury. Everything’s ticking along nicely,” he said.
“We work hard on the fundamentals at training. We want to get the simple stuff right, and we have everyone on the same page in terms of how we play our footy. That’s been important to our success.”
Having several leaders in the side also helps the team, with a lot of experience to lead the way for younger members of the squad.
“Ben Stewart runs the show, but we’re blessed with having a lot of leaders who have been there for a long time,” Kemp said.
“We have a strong leadership group of guys who have captained teams before which is a big bonus for us.”
The Breakers played the Blues in round one and it was ordinary footy from both sides according to the coach.
“I’m sure they’ve improved a lot since then. I know we have,” he said.
"They’re a young side. I’ve watched them a couple of times and they’re an energetic side. It’s a bit of a local derby so there should be some emotion there and it’ll be good fun.
“Hopefully the rain stays away and we can get a crowd there.”
Both matches will follow the usual league tag, under 18s and reserve grade fixtures with action kicking off from 11.30am each day. Under 18s kick off at 12:35pm and reserve grade at 1.50pm.
It’s a bit of a local derby so there should be some emotion there.
- Breakers coach Dan Kemp