The Moree Boomerangs are training hard as they prepare to take on the state's best teams in the NSW Challenge Cup beginning this weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The competition invites grand finalists from the previous season to compete in a knockout tournament over five weeks.
"We're pretty happy and stoked to be a part of it," Boomerangs coach Chris Binge said.
"It's a new challenge for us. It's a bit of an unknown competition from our perspective."
The Boomerangs will travel down south to face off against Group 11 runners-up Dubbo CYMS at Apex Park on Saturday.
READ ALSO:
Binge doesn't know much about Dubbo CYMS but is aware they've been a dominant side in Group 11 for a number of years.
"They're a very professional outfit from what I've been told," he said.
"They've played in it (Challenge Cup) before. They know what this is about.
"We're a team that's new to it but in saying that, we're going to give ourselves every chance to go to Dubbo and hopefully upset them."
Binge said there are some high quality teams in the tournament, but insists they aren't just there "to make up the numbers."
"We're playing against teams that have been in the Jim Beam Cup down in Sydney, Newcastle is obviously a very strong competition. North Tamworth [Bears] are in it," he said.
"The way we're training, we're not treating it as a competition that's just a willy nilly, there's quality teams in this competition."
The games are played in four 20-minute quarters, which Binge believes should be an advantage against the "more structured" teams in the larger competitions.
Regardless of what happens in the tournament, he said the opportunity to play in it is big for both the club and Moree.
"We don't know what the draw will be beyond stage one. We have to win stage one, every winning team and whichever team has the lowest losing margin goes through," he said.
"We don't want to be one of those teams, we want to be one of the winning teams.
"If that happens, we could possibly get to host a game the following week which would be massive.
"If we can get the right run of the game and be as dominant as what we know we can be, I'm confident in getting a result.
"If we don't, just to be participating is a big thing for our club."
The match between Moree Boomerangs and Dubbo CYMS will kick off at 6pm at Apex Park this Saturday.
