Up against last season’s premiers one week followed by the 2015 premiership favourites the next, and the Armidale Rams are loving it.
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The Rams host the Inverell Hawks at Blush Tomatoes Rugby League Park tomorrow, exactly a week after their upset victory of the Moree Boomerangs at the same venue.
Inverell are unanimous premiership favourites after their big off-season of recruitment drive and red-hot start to the Group 19 season, but the Rams’ confidence is sky-high after last weekend’s win and are ready to swoop the Hawks, according to president Terry Carson.
“I have no if we doubt if we play our best footy we can beat them,” he said.
Carson is adamant there will be no scars from their 42-12 trashing at the hands of the Hawks in round one, but also knows they will have to dramatically improve on that performance to topple the competition leaders.
“They are the best team we have played without a doubt,” he said.
“We’ve got to be better, especially around the ruck, they are so good there.
“We let them play the game at their speed, we can’t do that this time.”
Tomorrow’s fixture pits two of the competition’s top forward packs against each other in what should be a bumper showdown in the middle of the park.
“They have a massive pack,” Carson said.
“We have to match them in the middle.”
The Rams have been dealt a huge blow in the lead up to the match with lock Steve Widders breaking his hand against the Boomerangs.
Widders has been Armidale’s most consistent forward in 2015 and his work-rate will prove almost impossible to replace for captain-coach Clarrie Moran.
“That’s a massive out for us,” Carson said.
“He’s out for a month with a broken hand, but knowing him he will be back in two weeks.
“He’s just a constant worker.”
Mikey Ware is also out after injuring his hamstring last week and will be replaced in the centres by Wes Kelly.