Farrer have been forced to reshuffle some key positions ahead of their Uni Shield/NRL Schoolboys Cup opener against Matraville Sports High High at Farrer on Wednesday with injuries leaving them some big holes to plug.
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They were still on Tuesday trying to settle on a 17, and rather than, as was the expectation, fielding a stronger side than in their hit-out against Red Bend College last month, will be missing some key personnel.
"A few of the key players from the last game won't be playing this time," manager John Lesslie said.
Prop Mark Simon is in camp with the NSW Country under-16's side ahead of their clash with the NSW Rugby League Harold Matthews under-16s representative side in Sydney on Friday.
Five-eighth Trent Taylor and Cameron Kerr, who were both recently selected in the Greater Western opens side, have meanwhile picked up injuries since the Red Bend game.
Compounding that hooker Josh McLachlan, who Lesslie thought was one of their best against Red Bend, was injured playing for Kootingal on the weekend.
"We're certainly not going in as favourites," he said.
He is hoping their fitness might help get them home against a Matraville side that, on past experience, he expects to be a bigger bodied outfit.
The two schools have been regular adversaries.
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"They'll have some very handy mobile players that are big and can move," he said.
One of the criticisms of the performance against Red Bend was a lapse in concentration that saw them, from 12-nil up trailing 22-16 at one stage, and Lesslie spoke about "playing the full duration of the game and not switching off".
The first of only two home games they will play, he said the players were excited about kicking-off their campaign at home.
Last year they reached the quarter finals in both competitions, and go into this season with aspirations of at least matching that.
It makes getting off to a good start against Matraville imperative.
"You lose this first pool game and it really makes it hard," Lesslie said.
They have been drawn in a pool with Matraville, Patrician Brothers Fairfield and All Saints Maitland in the Schoolboys Cup, and Matraville, Endeavour Sports High and Hills Sports High in the Uni Shield.
Kick-off is at 11am.
