Some teams welcome a mid-season bye and some dread it.
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It can give injured players a much needed rest or stall in team in a rich vein of form.
The latter was the case for Barbarians last weekend.
They were faced with the bye after three straight wins. Wins that got a quickly dismantling season back on track.
After only one win in the first nine rounds of the competition Baa Baas were sitting at the cellar of the competition ladder.
But three straight wins saw them leapfrog Guyra into fourth and a win over this weekend’s opponent St Albert’s would see Baa Baas in third.
“We’ve hit some form now,” Baa Baas co-coach Brett Monley said.
“Three straight wins has been great and another would be great too.
“A month ago we didn’t think there’s a chance we would be playing for a chance to go to third.”
Monley said his side will have to get back to their best quickly with consecutive matches against Albies.
“It’s going to be a very close game,” he said.
“Hopefully we can outmuscle them at home.”
Baa Baas also face the unfortunate predicament of having all three grades play in different towns.
First grade are at home, but second grade travel to Glen Innes to play the Elks and third grade travel to Tamworth to take on Pirates.
“It’s going to be a big ask for our boys this weekend,” Monley said.
With the Armidale Blues basically securing the minor premiership already, Monley said catching second placed Robb was the goal for the rest of the home and away season.
“The Blues have first wrapped up,” he said.
“They are a classy side.
“Second or third would be a good result for us.”
But the first task is toppling Albies this weekend.
“It’s going to be very physical,” Monley said.
“They are very fluent with the ball.
“We need to make sure we are disciplined with the ball and not give them any opportunities out wide.”
In the other match of the round, Robb College host the last placed Guyra Ghosts.